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1 








Personal Recollections 



-OF THE 



^ War of 1861 S 



as Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Sixtj'-First Regiment, New 
York Volunteer Infantry by 



CHARL-BS A. PULLeR 



Prepared from data found in letters, written at the time from the field 
to the people at home. 



^EWS JOB PRINTING HOUSE, SHERBURNE, N. Y. 

1906 



^ 
< 



5^ 



# 



Author 
( Person) 



PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS 



March 1st, 1861, I started for Cleveland, Ohio, to enter the 
law office of Boardman & Ingersoll as a law student. I was 
in that ritj' at the time of the inauguration of President 
Lincoln. 

After Sumpter was fired on I was anxious to enlist and go 
to the front with the "Cleveland Grays," but trouble withmj^ 
eyes induced me to postpone my enlistment. After the Pres- 
ident issued his call for 300,000 additional troops, I 
learned that Lieut. K. Oscar Broady, a recent graduate of 
Madison University, who had seen some military service in 
Sweden, his native country, was raising a Company for the 
War, in which many Hamilton and Sherburne men were en- 
rolled. Isaac Plumb, one of my most-thought-of friends, 
was in the number; there were others — Edgar VVilley, Isreal 

Foote, Fred Ames, and more whose names I do not now 
recall. I decided to wait no longer, but seek the enemy with 
the men of this Company. 

I left Cleveland Sept. 5th, 1861, and reached Utica Satur- 
day afternoon in time to find that the stage down the valley 
had gone, and I must remain there until Monday morning, or 
use some other means of locomotion southward to Sherburne. 
The question I asked myself was, "Why not test your leg- 
gear NOW, and see what you can do as a foot-man^" 1 
answered "All right." and started out, though it was well 
into the afternoon. That evening I reached Oriskany Falls, 
a distance of about 20 miles. I camped for the night at the 
hotel, but was up the next morning before the hotel people. 

1 left the price of the lodging on the bar, and started south. 



6 

It was about 24 miles to Slieibiirne, which I reached about 
noon. 1 supplied the commissary department from houses 
along the road. 

My father and mother had no hint that I had left Cleveland. 
When T entered the house my mother said, "Why, Charlie 
Fuller, you've come liome to go to war." She was the 
daughter of a man who was in the Revolutionary Army when 
but sixteen years of age, and she had always been jvioud of 
the fact, and she was, I am sure, gratified that she had a boy 
desirous of imitating the example of her deceased father. 

On ni}^ way through llamiltom, I had left word what I was 
there for, and I was assured that Lieut. Gonitis would soon 
be down to enroll me. 

The next day he was on hand; he had, I believe, been in a 
militia company; at all events, he appeared in the toggery of 
a militia officer. He said he was authorized and prepared to 
''swear me in." I told him I was ready for business, and 
then and there took the oath. I tried to feel easy and ap- 
XJear unconcerned (whether or not I succeeded to outward ap- 
pearance I can not say) but I know that inside there was 
more or less of a lump to swallow, for, to some extent, I real- 
ized that it was not a picnic. 

I was home for a. w^eek, in which time four men joined me- 
They were Lewis R. Foote, Porter E. Whitney, Newel Hill 
and Albert H. Simmons. To show what war does, the follow- 
ing summary is a fair sample — Foote, wounded at Fair Oaks, 
discharged; Whitney, several times wounded, lastly m the 
AVilderness Campaign, 1864, transferred to the Veteran Re- 
serve Corps; Hill, discharged early for physical disability; 
Simmons, detailed to Commissary Dept., discharged on ac- 
count of physical disability; Fuller, discharged on account of 
wounds. 

Monday, Sept. 16th, 1861, our squad of five left Sherburne 
for Hamilton. We were there until Thursday, when we 
started for Staten Island, the headquarters of the forming 
regiment. Coultis had about thirty men. We reached the 
rendezvous about 11 o'clock Friday and received a warm wel- 
c ome from old friends on the ground. 

This forming regiment was located on ground within the 
present enclosure of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. Spen- 



cer W. Cone had the CokmeFs Coniiiiission, and his retiinient 
had the fancy name of "Clinton rxuards," whether in honoi' 
of George, or DeWitt, 1 do not know, and perhaps Cone 
didn't. 

The explanation of Broady's connection with Cone's regi- 
ment, nndoubtedly, is this: The father of Spencer W. Cone 
was a Baptist Doctor of Divinity, of Baltimore, Md. Prob- 
ably he was known to, and a friend of the managers of Mad- 
ison University. Quite likely it was assumed that so good a 
man as Cone. D. D., would have a son of ability and piety, 
well calculated to lead his men to victcny. or, if to death, 
the death of the righteous; and, so, I assume, it was regarded 
as a fortunate circumstance that the young men who had been 
connected with Madison University were to go into this man's 
regiment. 

Mr. Cone was one of those (what Simeon Cameron is alleged 
to have characterized a writer) "damned literary fellers." 
He had been a contributor to the New York Mercury, and 
other periodicals. He had a penetrating and quite jiowerful 
voice, .and displayed in his person some of the pomp and cir- 
cumstance of war, and, to the novices in his camp, he was for 
a time regarded as a "big injun." Events proved this to be 
unfounded and, before the regiment really met the enemy, 
he ceased to be the Colonel. At this time one Manning wore 
the uniform of Lieutenant-Colonel, and one Lynch that of 
Major. 

A quarrel was worked up among the officers, and, it was 
said, that Cone proposed to leave it to the line officers 
whether he should continue as Colonel, or step aside for an- 
other. The vote was taken and Cone was loser. Then he 
refused to abide by the result. He was ordered to leave 
camp and refused. Hands were laid on him to compel his 
withdrawal, he resisted with oaths and froth and a s1k)w of 
fight; but he was overcome by superior force and exported 
from the camp. I think Maj. Lynch assumed command. 
After a few days the camp was moved a number of miles to 
a place called Silver Lake. This move was on Saturday.' 

The next morning some of the officers were informed that 
Cone was on the road to this new cam]) with authority to 
take command and to place in arrest all of the officers wlu) 



had aided in his displacement. There was a great scamper- 
ing on the part of tliese officers, and soon they were conspic- 
uous by their absence. In a little while the valiant Cone 
appeared on the color line, and ordered the men to turn out; 
his order was obeyed. Then he showed authority for taking 
command of the regiment, and he offered to pardon all who 
had been in the movement against him, if they would return 
and promise to be good in the future. The skedadling 
officers got the word, came back, were forgiven, and resumed 
their places ; that was the last the regiment knew of Man- 
ning and Lynch. 

The Monday following the regiment moved back to its old 
ipiarters near the fort, and remained there till ordered to 
Washington. In this unfortunate fiasco the regiment lost 
about two hundred men by desertion, from which depletion 
it never recovered. When ordered to the seat of war, I think 
there were not much above 700 men, and the regiment never 
saw the time when it had full ranks — that fact alone accounts 
for its not being in the list of those that lost two hundred in 
battle. I be^eve the number killed in action, or who died in 
a short time from battle wounds, was 193, or seven short of 
the number. When brigaded, my recollection is, that it 
was at least one hundred and fifty men short of the 
number of any other regiment. It had the same 
number of officers that the other regiments had,, 
and, with them, the loss in killed equalled, I believe, 
the losses in the 5th New Hampshire, which has the 
distinction of having lost the most men killed in action of any 
infantry regiment on the Union side in the War of the Re- 
bellion. 

Francis C. Barlow was appointed Lieut-Col. in place of 
Manning, and Capt. Massett was promoted to Major. In 
each case a good exchange. Barlow did not appear for duty 
at Staten Island and was not generally known to the regi- 
ment until it went into Camp at Kendall Green in Washing- 
ton, I). C. 

Satui'day, Nov, 9th, 1861, orders were issued to break 
camp. The men's knapsacks were loaded down with things 
necessary and things that could be dispensed with, (which 
were thrown away when real campaigning was entered upon.) 



9_ 

N ) (louhr au averaf^e knapsack at this time would weigh 
fiom twenty-five pounds and upwards. The regiment left its 
fonnation camp for the front about seven hundred strong. 
We took a steamer and landed at Perth Amboy. There we 
took cars for Washington, reaching Philadelphia duiing the 
night, and were at once marched to a citizens lunch bar- 
racks, where the regiment at one time was substantially 
fed. Prom an early date in the War the patriotic citizens of 
Philadelphia did this to every regiment that passed through 
the city. New York and Philadelphia differ in many ways. 
Tn 1801, and during the following years of the War, there 
was an antipodal difference between these cities in their re- 
gard for and treatment of the Union Soldiers. In Philadel- 
phia the troops were, in going out, you might almost say, ban- 
queted, and when the wounded began to come back from the 
front great hospitals were run b.y the voluntary services of 
the best women in the city. I had personal experience in 
each of these ways showing appreciation of the work of the 
sold-ier. I have never heard anyone accuse New Yorkers of 
making any systematic effort to cheer the boys on as they 
went out, or care for them as they came back wrecked by dis- 
ease or torn by the missiles of the enemy. The city of New 
York is entirely too practical to be diverted by patriotic sen- 
timent, if, as a municipality, it has any. 

Ab;)iit 8 a. m.. Sunday, we left the city of Brotherly Love 
and reached Washington at 9 p. m. The regiment was 
marched into a large building capable of housing a thousand 
men, called the "Soldiers' Rest," located at the terminus of 
the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Monday, Nov. 11th, the regi- 
ment was marched into an open field not far from the Capitol 
and to the right of it as the city is entered. This field was 
(\a,lled Kendall Green. For years it has been solidly built 
upon. 

Lieut. -Col. Barlow in this camp first made himself known 
to the regiment. He was not at first sight an im^jressive 
looking officer. He was of medium height, of slight build, 
with a pallid countenance, and a weakish drawling voice. In 
his movements there was an appearance of loose jointedness 
and an absence of prim stiffness. At once schools and drills 



10 

were established for commissioned and noii-coniniissioTu^d 
officers and rumor credited Bailow with their estabiislnnenr. 
Discipline became stricter: the duties of the soldier were bet- 
ter explained, and the men sensibly improved. Thcie was 
no doubt to whom is due the credit for the change. In a 
short time there was a feeling in the air that \\if strength of 
the regiment lay in the person of the Lieut. -Colonel. Francis 
C. Barlow was a great soldier. He was, in my judgment, 
fully equal for a cordis comnumder. He knew the details of 
his business; he had the military instinct; and he was fear- 
less. At first, from his exacting requirements and severity 
he was quite disliked, if not well hated; but, as time went 
on, and it was seen that he knew more than any other man, 
or set of men, in the regiment — that he knew how to woik 
his men to the best advantage, and would see that they had 
what the regulations prescribed, and, that, when danger was 
at hand, he was at the head leading them, this animosity 
was turned into confidence and admiration. 

Thursday, Nov. 28tli, the regiment broke camp at Kendall 
Green and started with overloaded knapsacks for Alexan- 
dria, by the road, some eight or ten miles distant.. The 
Potomac was crossed on Long Bridge, the road ran by the 
partly built Washington Monument. The march was a hard 
one, largely on account of the men being loaded like jjack 
peddlers. 

At Alexandria the regiment took cars and was run out a 
distance of six or seven miles on the Orange cS: Alexandiia 
railroad to a point called Springfield Station. This was a 
place consisting of an old wood-colored hous^^. The men 
were ordered out, and, as the tents were not expected up 
that night, preparations were at once begun to make brush 
huts for bivouacing. Some time had been spent, and the 
work nearly done when the long, roll began to beat. The 
men at once took their places behind their stacked arms. 
Col. Cone was rushing about in a highly excited manner, 
holding a revolver in one hand and his bridle reins in the 
other, resolved, no doubt, to die bravely, if need be. There 
was not a round of ammunition in the regiment. I~ never 
learned that there was a show of the enemy. Perhaps it 



11 

be(-ani<* known at heaclqiuuters that we had no loading for 
our guns. At all events, a train was sent out to take* us 
back to Alexandria. We got back without accident, and 
spent tlie night in the round house. 

The next day we marched out on the turnpike running- 
near the railroad about three miles, and made a cam]) called 
Camp Calfornia. It was at the foot of the hill on which Ft. 
Worth was built. If I am not mistaken, our regiment, 
which had been numbered the 61st, was the first one on the 
ground of tlie brigade that was to be here formed. In a short 
time the others ariived and were as follows : .^th New Hamp- 
shire, 4th Rhode Island, 81st Pennsylvania, each of them 
having a larger membership than ours. Brigade General O. 
O. Howard was assigned to the brigade, which was No. 1 in 
Sumner's Division. Corps were not j'et formed. 

Besides guard mountings and dress parades, five or six 
hours a da}^ were consumed in company, regimental and bri- 
gade drills. The men were worked hard, and, by this time 
it was generally understood that learning to be a soldier was 
no loafing business. 

The first time we saw Nelson A. Miles was in this camp. 
He then was a fine looking young man on the staff of Gen. 
Howard. 

As the Pall weather cama on the men generally took colds 
tliat were of the coughing kind; the full strength of cough 
music was heard at night, when other sounds were hushed. 
Then, seemingly, every man tuned it up with his own pe- 
culiar sort and tone of cough. The concert surpassed in vol- 
ume that coming from a large frog swamp in the flush of the 
season. Many became down sick and were sent to hospital. 
Those who stood the exposure gradually toughened and be- 
came proof against such sickness. 

One night after tattoo the long roll began to beat. Officers 
and men hurriedly dressed, snatched their arms and accoutre- 
ments and formed in the company streets. As soon as a 
company was ready it started for the color line, and, as soon 
as the regiment was formed, it started on a brisk walk 
towards the front, or in the direction of our pickets. When 
once fairly under way the order was to "step out," and 



12 

finally, to "double quick-" We went in the direction of Ed- 
son's Hill, where our picket reserves were stationed. It 
was a distance of several miles and was travelled in a short 
time. It proved to be a sham alarm, and was got up to see 
how we would perform if it were a genuine affair. For one, 
I made that midnight march expecting to meet th^ enemy. 

As we were going up the hill where the camp fire of the 
picket reserves were burning, I heard what I took to be ;, 
powerful human groan; I said to myself ''this, indeed, i« 
bloody, brutal war," and I was, as best 1 could, nerving 
myself to face the enemy and do my duty in the deadly 
fray. We reached the top of the hill in safet3% and there, 
sitting and sprawling around their camp tires, were our 
men wholly unconcerned. I determined to know what 
there was concerning the wounded man whose groan I 
had heard and I went back where Iliad heard the sound of 
pain and found a six-mule team. In going by it had been un- 
observed. I concluded on this discovery that the outcry 
of my wounded man was nothing more than the grunt- 
ing and braying of an ass, and I was relieved. 

About the first of January, 1862, orders were isssued 
for the detail of recruiting parties from every regiment to 
go to the States for the i)urpose of getting new men to 
make good the losses in the field. For this purpose, from 
the 61st N. Y., Lieut. Wm. H. Mclntyre of Co. C was 
named to command the party. With him were Lieut. 
Blowers, Co. F, Corporal Jenks and myself of Co. C, and 
two or three other men whose names I have forgotten. We 
left camp Monday, Jan. 21st, 1862. We reported to Maj. 
Sprague, U. S. A., at Albany. He granted us a few days 
furlough and we all visited our homes. 

Our recruiting headquarters were at, or near, 480 Broad - 
w^ay, New York. No bounties were offered, and, while 
we all did our best, the result was nearly a failure. Not 
more than a dozen good men were secured. Our party 
was heartily sick of the job and sincerel}^ desired to be re- 
turned to the regiment. 

About the 1st of April a movement was made by the 
Army of the Potomac. At this time army corps had been 



13 

formed. I think Sumnei-'s, the Secoinl Corps, had but two 
divisions. The First, Richardson's in which vvas Howard's 
brigade ; Meagher's, or the Irish brigade, and FrcMich's ; 
the Second was commanded by Sedgwick. I believe llie 
corps, division and brigade commanders were as good 
as any in the army of the Potomac. The first move of the 
jirmy was on to Centerville, and the Bull Run battlefield. 
The enemy fell back. Then IMcClellnn changed his base to 
the peninsula between the York and James rivers. 

April 15th, 1862, the recruiting office was closed and our 
l^arty started for the regiment. We stoj)ped at Fortress 
Monroe and procured rations. From there took a steamer 
np the riyer about 20 miles to Shipping Point. We found 
onr regiment some miles further to the front. 

When we reached camp we received a soldier's welcome 
from the boys. They showed what a few weeks of ex[)o- 
snre w^oiild do for the outside of a man; skin and clothes; 
they were tanned, ragged and lousy. 

As we were back from the entrenchments some di-'^tance, 
our efforts were mainl}^ directed to building corduroy 
roads. 

Sunday, May 4th, orders came to pack and be ready 
to move at once. Soon it was reported that Yorktown 
had been evacuated. We did not get into motion, finally, 
until the 5th, and then went oitt but a short distance, v>hen 
a halt was made until about dark when we again 
started and went through the rebel defenses. It 
had rained some during the day and this Virginia mud was a 
difficult thing to stand on, especially if the standing was on 
an incline. A slow and laborious march was continued until 
midnight, or past. When we halted many of the men had 
fallen out on the march, but came up in the morning. After 
breakfast a short distance was made; then a halt was ordered ; 
then came the news that Williamsburg had been taken, and 
the enemy were retreating up the peninsula. The Second 
Corps, or our division of it, returned to Yorktown and went 
into camp the next day, which was Wednesday. We 
remained in this camp until the next Sunday, when we took 
transports up the York river to West Point, at wliicli ])lac(' 



, . 14 

we tiiisliipped Monday, May 12th, and went into camp. I 
remember tliat this locality was pleasanter than the country 
aUoiit Shipping Point and in front of Yorktown. 

A division of our men had a brush with the enemy here a 
few days before our arrival. Quite a number of our men 
were so sick at this place that they were sent back to York- 
town, and one, at least, of the number died. I refer to 
Charles Smith, a genial, good man. 

Thursday, May loth, reveille beat at 2 a. m., and we 
inarched at 4 a. m. At iirst it was- line marching, but to- 
wards noon a drenching rain set in, and in a short time we 
were wet to the skin. We made fourteen miles. AVe w^ent 
into camp in a piece of woods. AVliile here quite a' number 
of the men were taken with a sudden dizziness, and would 
fall while drilling. The first orderly of my company was 
^Villiam H. Spencer. He Avas promoted to First Lieutenant of 
Deming's Company, and latej* on to the Cai^taincy of Brooks's 
(Jompany. His promotion advanced my best friend, Isaac 
Plund), Jr., to first sergeant. For some weeks he had been 
suffering from a low fever, and Arthur Haskell was acting 
orderly. In this camp he was taken with this strange dis- 
ease and sent back, and I was made acting orderly, in which 
office I acted until after the battle of Fair Oaks. 

Sunday, the 18th, we again started and marched five miles 
and went into camp. By this time the men had become 
somewhat familiar with Gen I. B. Richardson, their division 
commander. He was a large, heavy, powerful man, a West 
Pointer, and commanded, I think, the Second Michigan at 
Bull Run. He put on no military style : generally he was 
clothed in a private's blouse, which, if I remember correctly, 
did not have on shoulder straps. His speech, when not 
aroused, was slow and drawling ; he did not appear to care 
for salutes and the men began to regard him as one of them ; 
Jie had their confidence and affection, and they willingly 
followed him. As our regiment was marching this day, he 
was along side of it, and a newspaper man who had some 
previous acquaintance with him, remarked : "If you have 
got as good a division as you had regiment at Bull Run, it 



15 

will make some dead i-ebels before loii''"' The fieiuM-al 
smiled and drawled out, " I g-uess they'll do." 

Monday, the 19th, Ave marched abont live miles and 
camj^ed, it was said, near New Kent Court House. There is 
a little church on a hill not far from this camp, and the story 
was current that Washington was connected with some all'air 
that took place there, I have forgotten what it was. This 
camp was but a short distance from White House, where, 
it was said, the Confederate General, Lee, had large posses- 
sions. 

Wednesday, the 21st, we marched at 6 a. m., ami made ten 
miles and went into camp on the York and Richmond Rail- 
road, about eighteen miles from Richmond. Saturday, the 
24th, we marched in the direction of Cold Hai'bor, a point, 
rather than a place, and about seven miles from Richmond. 
Indications multiplied that bafore long the two great armies 
would lock horns, and j)rove which was the best m;in of the 

tAVO. 

On the 26th, Porter, with a part of the fifth corps, had a 
brush at Hanover Court House. Our people took quite a 
number of prisoners, and, on their way back, passed by our 
camp. They gave us to understand there Avere a sufficiency 
left back to do up the business for us. 

Wednesday, the 28th, the Cist Avas taken out in the vicin- 
ity of Fair Oaks, as a guard to an engineer, Avho Avas maj)- 
ping out the roads. They came in sight of rebel cani])s, and 
were treated to a feAv harnde.ss shells. I Avas not Avitli the 
regiment, being in charge of the camj) guard. 

On the afternoon of May 31st, heavy cannonading Avas 
heard on our left, across the Chickahomeny river. For a 
week, or more, the men had been constantly undei- arms, so 
to speak. Three day's rations were kept in the haversacks ; 
arms and ammunition Avere frecpiently inspected ; orders 
were given Avarning the men to be in their places and pre- 
pared to move at a moment's notice ; so, Avhen the fii-st sound 
of battle Avas heard, the men, almost of their oAvn accoid, 
formed on the color line, equipped for a maich, Avhere ever it 
might be to. In a feAv minutes aides Avere going fjom 
division to brigade, and from brigade to regimental head- 



16 

quarters, and soon the regiments had their orders to march. 

For some days before there had been heavy rains which 
liad raised the Chickahomeny river from a low, sluggish 
stream into a broad, deep, swift running river. As soon a» 
I he army got into its then position; by which it was divided 
by the river, several bridges were built to more effectually 
reunite the army. The Second Corps had two such bridges, 
Richardson's being some distance below Sedgwick's. Each 
division was started for its own bridge. Richardson's was> 
two feet under water ; the leading brigade forded through on 
this bridge, waist deep in the water. Our brigade was 
ordered to cross on Sedgwick's bridge. It was floored with 
small logs laid side by side on log stringers. This bridge 
seemed to be resting on the water and as we marched over it 
some of the logs would roll and dip in a manner to shake 
ronfidence in its stability, but we crossed on it all right. 

I remember seeing a brass gun stuck in the mud on the 
other side, and the men working to release it. All of this 
time the sound of battle was ringing in our ears, and its 
volume indicated that it was one of consequence. 

This change of bridges delayed the tirst division. Sedg- 
wick got up in time to take a hand in the light of May 31st, 
but it was after dark and not far from 9 o'clock when our 
division stacked arms. Some of our men went over the 
battle field that night and helped care for the wounded. My 
duties as acting orderly required my constant presence with 
the company. All was painfully quiet ; we did not so much 
as hear a sound from a wounded man. 

The next morning at four o'clock, the men were quietly 
ordered up. No fires were allowed, so the breakfast was 
moistened with cold water. After eating, the companies 
were equalized, and after furnishing a detail to some of the 
other companies, Company C had forty-one men, indicating 
that there were four hundred and ten muskets present for 
duty in the regiment. We were on a part of the battlefield 
of the day before, and there was considerable of the debris of 
the battle lying about. The brigade — Howard's — was closed 
in mass by regiments, the 01st on the left. The waiting for 
a battle to open is always a trying time for troops. When a 



17 

moveiHent, or action, ia under way the dread leaves. So now, 
while we were standing- with arms in hand watching for the 
li.st sign, and straining to catch the first sound we were an 
anxious multitude. 

After a while a section of Petti t's battery was placed at a 
corner of the held we were in, and by the woods, presently a 
few shot^ Wdre lired — possibly as a signal — then came a 
scattering musketry fire, then a volley on the right of the 
line, then a rapid increase, and soon the most tremendous 
infantry fire I ever heard. Theie was no cannonading, but 
it was the fearful crash of musketry, where thousands of 
guns on each side wore getting in their work as rapidly and 
viciously as possible. Orders were now received for the advance 
of our brigade, and the regiments started out on the double quick 
.(Vction of any kind, though it took us towards the enemy, wag 
welcomed. In a short time the railroad was reached, and the 
(ilst was deployed along the track. I cannot assert of my own 
knowledge, but presume the other regiments of the brigade were 
ill line of battle on this track. 

At this point tlie railroad ran through a piece of woods, and 
we, though facing occasional bullets from the enemy, could see 
but a siiort distance ahead of us. While in this place waiting 
further orders, Col. Barlow, himself, went forward into the woods 
to learn more of the situation. 

From the stray bullets coming over some of our men were hit. 
It came to the mind of one, or a few ingenious men in the ranks, 
tliat a recumbent posture would conduce to safety, and he, or they, 
at once took it. This hint was taken up by others, and in a very 
short time every man was flat on his belly. Presently the 
Colonel appeared, and, perhaps, looked twic« for his regiment he 
bad left standing. He at onceroared out, " Who ordered you to 
lie down? Get up at once." And every man was on his feet. 
Then the order came, " Forward, guide center. March ! " and we 
entered the woods. 

At this point the timber was quite heavy; there was consider- 
able small growth, and under foot jt was swampy. It was im- 
possible to maintain a good line. In such an advance the 
naturally courageous will press forward, and the naturally timid 



1« 

will hang back, and the officers and file closers have their hands 
full to urge up the laggards. 

In my place as orderly I was directly behind Lieut. Wm. H. 
Mclntyre, commanding my company. Next to me, on the left, 
was Corporal Willey, an old friend from my town. As we were 
working our way to the front he spoke to me, and said, " Charley, 
am 1 hurt much ?" I looked up and saw the blood running 
down the side of his face, and that a part of his ear had been 
shot away. I said, "No, nothing but a part of your ear is gone," 
and we pressed forward. 

Soon we came upon the 52!id N. Y., I think; of French's 
Brigade, \ying on the ground in line of battle. I suppose they 
had exhausted their ammunition and were waiting for our 
appearance. We passed over them, and advanced a few rods, 
when the order was given to halt. Then strenuous eiforts were 
made by our officers to get the men up in the ranks and to dress 
the line ; while this was going on no firing was had 
on either side. 1 did not see a rebel, and did not 
think one was within mu.sket shot. Lieut. Mclntyre stood in the 
Captain's place, and I immediately behind him in the place of 
first sergeant. Suddenly a tremendous volley was fired by the 
enemy at short range, which was very destructive. McLityre 
sank down with a deathly pallor on his countenance. He said 
" I'm killed." I stooped down and said, "Lieutenant, do you 
think you are mortally wounded?" Lie replied, " Yes, tell them 
I'm killed." He never spoke again. 

A corporal in the next company was shot through the head 
and fell on to Mclntyre's body. I drew up my gun, fired, and 
then threw myself down behind these two bodies of my friends, 
loaded my gun, raised up and fired it^ This process I repeated 
until the firing ceased. It was a ghastly barricade, but there was 
no time for the display of fine feelmgs. The call was to defeat the 
enemy with as little loss to ourselves as po.ssible. 

I cannot say how long this firing continued, but the time did 
come when our shots were not replied to, and it Avas evident we 
liad a clear front. Wliile the firing was in progress I saw a sight 
that in all of my subsequent experiences was not equalled in 
shockingness. Sanford Brooks, a stalwart man of my company, 



19 

and from my town, was shot through the head. The hullet 
entered at the side and just behind the eyes, and went through 
in such a manner as to- throw the eyes fairly out of their sockets- 
The wound did not pro(kice instant death, but destroyed his rea- 
son. The blow did not fell him to the ground — he stood upright 
with his gun clinclied in one hand, his sightless eyes bulged out 
of his head, and he staggering about bereft of reason. He lived 
for a day or two, talking constantl}^ of camp life, and the things 
that were on his mind before this fatal shot. 

After th>j firing had ceased, orders were given to get together and 
change position. I did not know that Second Lieutenant Coultis 
was wounded, and called for him. I was informed that he had 
been wounded early in the battle and had gone to the rear. This 
left me in command of the company, and I gathered up the frag- 
ments and marched them off. 

Illustrating the liability of false information and impressions 
to stand for facts, is the belief entertained by Gen. (). O. Howard, 
that Lieut. Mclntyre lielped him off the field when he was 
wounded m this battle. Some years ago the General wrote an 
interestir^g series of articles for the National Tribune concerning 
his campaigns. In describing the battle of Fair Oaks, he stated 
where he was wlicn he received the wound that necessitated the 
amputation of his right arm. In the course of his statement he 
said that Lieut. Mclntyre helped him off the field. This I knew 
beyond peradventure to be a mistake, and I wrote the Tribune an 
account of the matter so far as Mclntyre was concerned, and said 
my object in so doing was to help put some man in the right who 
might claim that he bad done this service for Gen. Howard. 

(In June, 1S97, the class of 1804 of Colgate University set up a 
tablet in the library building in memory and in honor of the 
sons of the University who had fallen in the war of 18G1. Gen. 
Howard was hired to be present and deliver an address on the 
occasion. In it he referred to Mclntyre and said, after telling 
how he was aided by Mclntyre at Fair Oaks, " He gave his life 
for me." I was present and heard him make this statement. I 
took the trouble to write him a full statement of the affair and 
tried to convince him that he was wholly mistaken in supposing 
that Mclntyre aided him personally that day. In reply I 
received a short letter to the effect that he so well knew every 



20 

officer in tlie 61st that it could not be possible that he was mis. 
taken. I showed this letter to a number of our otlicers, who 
knew nearly as well as T do that Gen. Howard is wrong, in fact. 
I need not add, that without exception they agree with my recol- 
lection of the jnatter. Probably no event of consequence will 
ever hinge on the truth or error of my statement of this matter.) 

Doubtless, as in other human affairs, every person has experi- 
ences in battle peculiar to himself and his individual tempera- 
ment. In this first real meeting of the enemy, ray own, 
imperfectly described, were as follows : As soon as the first volley 
Avas fired all dread and sense of personal danger was gone, the 
death of the two men, one in front and the other to the right of 
me produced no shock of horror. T seemed to regard it as the 
to-be-expected thing, and, as I have above said, I loaded and fired 
my gun from behind their dead bodies as unconcerned as though 
it had been in a sham battle. I now remember, that when the 
firing ceased, I was unaware of the strain and excitement T had 
been under, until we were ordered to move, when I found that 
I was in a tremble all over. 

The Confederates had planned wisely, but the}^ failed in 
working their combination, and wei-e, I believe, fairly 
beaten. Before this battle, Col. Barlow was rated highly for 
his military scJiolarship, after the battle he was recognized by bis 
superior officers as 07ie of the bravest of the brave. 

In this battle the regiment lost over twenty-five \:)er cent, 
of the number present, including the Lieut.-Col., two cap- 
tains and several lieutenants. (Fox's " Regimental Losses" 
makes the number 110). 

Later in the day word came to me that a wounded nuni 
wanted to see me. I went back a few rods and there found 
my personal friend and townsman, Edgar J. Willey — the 
man who had lost a part of his ear before webecan)e engaged. 
He had been hit several times, but the one mortal wound was 
through his lungs. Every breath he drew was an effort, and 
the inhaled air in j)art went out of the wound with a sicken- 
ing sound. As I came up to him he smiled and held out his 
hand. I expressed deep sorrow for his condition, but he said 
it was all right, he had no regrets. He told me that he could 
live but a little while, and requested me to write to his people 



21 

mid spy that he hoped they would not mourn for liini. Ilis 
bible wiis opened and lyini>' on his breast. He lived for a 
day or two, and was buried on the lield where he fell fight- 
ing, like the brave soldier he was. 

After the battle the sun came out with soutliern vengeance. 
We left our tents and camp equipage at our late camp, and, 
to make the situation more comfortable, and to guard against 
sun stroke, the men began to put up bough huts, and before 
night we were tolerably protected 

The army was in a state of expectancy, wondering whether 
the enemy would make a fresh attack, or whethei- we would 
press forward and follow up what had been gained. If we 
had known better, as we came to, the halting (not to say 
cowardly) nuike up (>f the commanding general, we would 
have taken it for granted that we were to sit down and 
intrench and wait the x^leasure of the enemy for a change in 
the situation. 

There was no serious attack for several Aveeks. The lines 
were formed and fortified ; breast works, with a ditch in 
front, were built, with here and there a small fort, or re- 
doubt, in which a part of the held artillery was placed. 

Picket duty came about twice a week. The lines were 
near together; and the men were ngly. No chance was 
missed on either side for hring at a man in sight, and every 
daj'' more or less were killed or wounded, on the line. 

To guard against surprise, the men were aroused and called 
out by 8:30 a. m., and took their places behind the works, 
guns in hand, and there stood till sunrise. 

As our camp was in the Chickahomany swamp, the water 
generally was bad, and soon made itself felt in the health of 
the men. Hot coffee was served to the men as they stood 
in line, and later, rations of whiskey Avere issued to dilute; 
the water with. 

So long as there is a trace left of this line of breastworks, 
the exact location of the camp of the 61st can be fixed, as it 
was just in rear of the line, and half of the regiment was 
on one side of the railroad track and the other half on the 
other. 

Stonewall Jackson was on his way to aid Lee. On .lune 



22 

2(;th lie appeared, and the (.'onfederate attack opened on our 
light at Mechanicsville. 

Friday evening, the 27th, a part of our division was sent 
to Porters aid. He commanded the right wing of the army. 

Saturday, the 28th, orders were received for all sick to be 
sent to the hospital, and for all extra baggage to be turned 
into the quartermaster. At about 10 a. m. we struck tents 
and marched down the line to the left, and went to work 
throwing up ritle pits at right angles with the line of works. 
This, Avas, I suppose, in anticipation of the enemy getting 
possession of the redoubt to the right and raking the line. 
After a little this was abandoned and we vvent into the woods 
in the rear. There we cleared the ground so that a line of 
battle could be formed. AVe remained in this position till 
after dark, when we returned to the old camp ground behind 
the works. AVe simply lay on the ground with accoutre- 
ments on ready to act in a moment. All night long baggage 
and artillery trains were rumbling to the rear. The great 
siege guns that were mounted at this point were loaded on 
cars and their carriages burned. 

By this time there was no doubt in our minds that McClel- 
lan's proud advance had come to a halt, in fact, that the 
pendulum was swinging the other way. About daylight 
Sunday morning, the 29th, our division began moving up the 
railroad track away from Richmond and in search for another 
base. AVe soon came to tlie commissary depot of the army. 
Here were piled million's of dollars" worth of supplies — hun- 
dreds of thousands of rations were to be cremated, the torch 
had been applied to the mass and the work of destruction 
was well under way. Some of our men slid out of the ranks 
and went to this stock of stores and helped themselves to 
whatever they saw that they wanted. They came back with 
their rul)ber blankets loaded with sugar; which they divided 
among their comrades. 

After some maneuvering, our brigade was formed in a 
piece of w^oods, and we fought what was called the Battle of 
Peach Orchard. The only loss we sustained here Avas from 
the enemy's artillery. Their advance was stayed sufficienlly 
for our retreating- troops, and trains to get by ; then our 



23 

corps fell back to Savage Station, where we again formed 
line of battle and awaited the approach of the enemy. Be- 
fore dark a determined attack was made. It was handsome- 
ly repulsed. 

It- has been stated that at this i)lace Gen. Ileintzelmaii, 
commanding the third corps, toVd Sumner that the orders 
were to fall back; thar Sumner protested, and insisted that the 
Army of the Potomac should retreat no further, but, on the con- 
trary'', should attack the Confederates; that Heintzleman iinally 
had to tell the old man that, having delivered the orders, he 
could act on his own responsibility, as for himself he would 
fall back as directed ; and that Sumner replied he supposed 
he would have to folloAv, but he had not been brought up to 
retreat from a victorious field. 

Those who are ready with reasons for faults and failures in 
the affairs of mankind, may now lay it to Providence the 
selection of McClellan as commander of the Army of the 
Potomac, on the ground that a brave and competent general 
would have defeated the rebels too soon, and reconstruction 
Avould not have been as thorough as it was in the end, owing 
to the more complete exhaustion of the Confederates. For 
myself, I have no oi^inions on such deep subjects. I simply 
know his selection as a fighting commander was a tei-rible 
blunder. 

We remained at Savage Station till about 9 p. m., when 
the retreat movement through White Oak Swamp began. It 
was very dark. It had rained sufficiently to make the roads 
very slippery, and, in addition to their being tilled with 
infantry, there was the artillery, and hundreds of baggage 
wagons to be got over this piece of road before daylight. 
Owing to the condition of the soil, almost everyone had fre- 
quent falls. The column moved at a snail's pace, probably 
on an average of not over a mile an hour. We were on our 
feet all night, crossing the corduroy bridge that spanned the 
stream at the further side of the swamp as daylight began 
to sliow^ in the East. The ground beyond the swamp was a 
bluff some 20 oi' 30 feet above it, and on the brow of it our 
guns were placed later in the day. Back of the bluff was a 
large, open field, which was literally packed with artillery 



24 

Mild bn^f^nge wagons. AVe were marched into position and 
allowed to lie down. For one, I was so nearly exhausted 
that I got onto the ground without taking off my knaj)sack, 
;ind at once went off into sleep. About 8 a. m, we were 
called up and made our breakfast. At this time the baggage 
wagons were getting out as fast as ])()ssible. 

About 11 a. m. our pickets reported the advance of the 
enemy, and in a short time two or three of their batteries 
()])ened a lively hre. There were then, perhax^s a hundred 
wagons in this open held. The shelling had a quickening 
effect ill clearing it of all teams permitted to go to the rear. 

Our batteries were quickly placed in position and returned 
the lire. A portion of my brigade, including my regiment, was 
i:>laced in support of this aitillery. While the cannonading 
Avas going on. Colonel Barlow was sitting on his old bay 
horse near to the guns, observing the situation as cooly as if 
it had been a sham battle. We lost at this place a number 
of men. This artillery tight lasted I should say for an hour, 
then tapered off. We still lay behind the guns, and in sup- 
port of them until near sundown. Then the retreat was 
resumed. I think the 61st N. Y. was among the last to leave 
the position. 

It was a scorching! y hot day. The sun was never brighter. 
No air stirred, but the light soil, i)Ovvdered into tine dust, 
rose up in clouds that made the march a hardship. For a 
rime we moved slowly, hearing cannon in the distance. Pre- 
sently, for some reason, the order came to "Step out." 
which meant quicker time and longer strides ; and a little 
later the order Avas to "double quick.'' Pretty soon we 
passed squads of cavalry posted along the road, that didn't 
seem to be doing anything in particular. In those days the 
cavalry was not what it came to be under Sheridan. 

Further on we came to fragments of infantry that showed 
they had been where war was in practice. Many wounded 
were about, and disabled artillery was numerous. Before us 
was a i)iece of heavy woods; j ust before entering it on the right, 
was a long, stoi-y-and-a-half building, that was I think, but 
I am not certain, a ta\ern. About this building were many 
wounded — very likely it was in use as u hospital. 

The regiment entered the woods on the double quick. Tlie 



road was arched over head by the meeting' of tlie outstretching 
limbs. As darkness was coming on, it looked like entering a 
tunnel. Men, singly and in squads, were making their way 
to the rear, some sound and whole, but many with wounds. 
As we met these men we' were greeted with statements, 
prophecy and advice. I remember hearing, " This is a tough 
one." "You'll catch hell, if you go in there!" "You'd 
better dump those knapsacks, you'll not want them at the 
front!" I had made up my mind to that effect, and was, 
l^utting my hand back to unhook the knapsack strap when 
Isaac Plumb came up to me and asked what I was going to 
do. I replied that I was going into the light without incum- 
brances. I was impressed with the belief that we were to 
have a desperate struggle, and, I think, I never felt more 
like it than I did at this time. I pitched the knapsack to 
one side, and Plumb did likewise. 

I think our regiment had on the field about two hundred 
men divided for working purposes into four companies. One 
of these field companies of some fifty men, under Captains 
Mount and Broady, were not with us. They had been de- 
tached and sent off on some special work, so that Barlow had, 
I judge, one hundred and fifty men. The first company was 
commanded by Captain ^Vm. H. Spencer. He was when he 
enlisted in Broady' s company, a student in the freshman 
class of Madison University. He was appointed orderly 
sergeant of Company C, and retained that place until his 
promotion to a lieutenancy in Denung's Company I. On the 
death of Captain Brooks he was made captain of company G. 
He was one of the best officers in the regiment. I was at the 
head of the regiment as we were now advancing along 
this wooded road. Suddenly the head of a column came in 
sight and very near to us, and at once the head files of this 
regiment sent a volley into our regiment. The effect was to 
make the Gist fall back on itself, so to speak. Col. Barlow 
was some ways down the line, and there was imminent dan- 
ger of a stampede on our i^art for a few seconds. Some of 
us near enough to the head of the column to take in the situ- 
tion, enlightened the other regiment and our men, as to the 
facts, and we passed one another without further damage. I 



20 

do not know tliut anyone was hurt by tliis unfortunate fire, 
but there were a number of close calls. I remember that one 
nuui had his canteen shot away, and others bullets through 
their clothing. 

The further we advanced the clearer came the sound of 
battle. As we were thus pressing on, I well remember Capt. 
Spencer saying, as he grimly set his teeth, " Men, we will 
sell our lives as dearly as possible ! " T believe every man of 
lis regarded it as a desperate adventure. 

Further on we came to a cleared field of considerable size, 
in which there were, I believe, one or two small, old build- 
ings, perhaps negro houses. Just before reaching the open 
field we turned off to the right and came in on the right hand 
side of the held, and lay down behind the rail fence. While 
in this situation, a general officer came up and had a talk 
with Barlow. From what I heard at the time and have since 
read, I am of the opinion it was Gen. Kearney. I heard him 
say, "Colonel, you will x>lace your nien acioss that road, 
and hjld it at all cost."' Birlow replied, " (ieneral, you 
know I have but few men." "Yes," he said, "but they 
are good ones." The general, whoever he was, then went 
off. Barlow at once ordered the men np, and to advance, 
The fence was passed, then a right wheel made, an advance 
of some rods, and we were near to the edge of the field and 
directly across the road. The order was given to lie down. 
Shortly after this was executed, a voice came out of the 
woods in front of us, and very near by. It was too dark to 
se3 anything, but our ears took in every word of the question 
asked, "What regiment is that T' At once an Irishman 
replied, " Sixty -first New York." Then came the command, 
" Lay down v'our arms, or I'll blow every one of you to hell." 
That sentence was scarcely out of his mouth, when Barlow 
loared, " Up and at them, men." 

The command was instantly obeyed. AVe got in the first 
volley, and it was doubtless effective. Some of our wounded 
left on the ground and captured next day, reported, when we 
next saw them, that there was a large number of dead rebels 
close up to the line of our field. 

As soon as our volley had been delivered the men of theii' 



27 

own accord dropped back a rod or two, lined np and went 
steadily at work. As I have snggested, it was too dark to 
see anj^'thing within the woods, and, if the enemy could see 
anything of us, it was just a line. 

Our lire was at once returned. As soon as our empty mus- 
kets could be loaded the men would take a quick aim at a 
Hash in the woods and let drive. The enemy did the same. 
In no battle that I was in, did the bullets sing about my 
head as they did here. No doubt this came from the aiui 
drawn on the Hash of my musket. This steady, rapid tiring 
continued till it ceased from the woods, and we concluded 
that we were victors. 

Barlow then directed that the sound men take to the rear 
those alive, but wounded so that they could not help them- 
selves. A sei'geant by the name of Marshall, as I now 
remember, was badly wounded through the thigh. Another 
man and I attempted to carry him back. I found that my 
gun Avas an obstruction and I laid it down, thinking I could 
come back and find it, or some other. We carried our com- 
rade to the rear, where quite a number were placed, among 
them Capt. E. M. Deming, who was suffering from a broken 
leg. We were close friends, having been together in the 
winter of '60 and '61 in the Academic Department of Madison 
University. I stopped to havp a little talk with him, believ- 
ing that there was to be no more fighting that night. 

Presently my attention was called to the fact that there 
was a fresh lining up of men where we had just fought. It 
was not so dark but that the outline of a body of men could 
be distinguished in the open. At once the firing from both 
sides was resumed as brisk as ever. Later on I learned that 
a part of the 81st Pa. had come to our aid. 

I was not long in sensing that 'my position was not mili- 
tary. Some of my regiment must be in that line, and I was 
some rods to the rear, and without a gun. I did not propose 
to go hunting for a lost gun in that darkness and under fire. 
In looking about, I discovered a gun standing against a tree. 
I took it, saw that it was loaded, and then conceived the 
notion that I might make a flank attack on the rebels by my- 
self. The line of battle on each side was but a few rods in 



lengtli. Where I stood the trees were not thick, and I was a 
little to the right of the firing. I made an advance njove- 
nient that brought me nearly up to the line of our men, but, 
as I said, to their right. I decided that Providence had 
favored me in providing a good-sized stump just beyond and 
in the line I proposed to fire. I brought my gun to an 
"aim," waited for a fiash from a Confederate gun, and pulled 
the trigger. About as soon as coidd be, after the fiash of 
my lire, came qidte a volley of bullets singing around my 
head, from the enemy's line. I moved closer to mj^ stump 
for more complete protection, when to my dismay, I found 
it to be only a body of tall grass. I did no more firing from 
that position, but fell back in good order. 

The fighting soon ceased and our men retired and took 
position in the road in the woods, but near to the open field. 
AVe lay down on our arms. After a while the enemy came 
np where their wounded were, and we could hear them call 
out the regiments to which they belonged as they were picked 
lip. Finally matters quieted down and most of iis went to 
sleep. 

At the time we called this the battle of Charles City Cross 
Roads. I think the accepted name at present is Glendale. 
This position had been during the day desperately attacked 
by the Confederates and heroically defended by the Federals. 
If the enemy had succeeded in their pur^wse they would have 
cut off a laige section of our army and captured prox^erty of 
great value. In my account of the fight written at the time 
to my people 1 said, ''Barlow got lis together in line and 
found that a good deal more than half of the men were gone^ 
and pretty much all of the officers. Captains Deming, 
Spencer and Moore lost legs, and Angell was wounded. Lieut. 
Crawford and Adjutant Gregory were wounded. Col. Barlow 
and Lieuts. Keech and Morrison were the only officers 
with us, and some of these had very close calls, all of them 
had bullet holes in their clothing. Barlow's horse was 
killed and Keecli's scabbard was battered up with one or 
more bullets. But forty men were together unharmed at the 
end of the contest." 

That mv account of this iiiiht mav not stand alone as a 



stubborn and desperate one, I will quote from tlie account of 
it as found in Appleton's Annual of 1802. While it may be 
obnoxious to the charge of gusliiness, to those who were in 
this tight, by daylight, or in the night, I think scarcely 
anything can appear exaggerated. It is as follows i 

"The advance of the Confederate force was actively re- 
sumed early in the morning. Generals D. H. Hill, Whiting 
and Ewell, under the command of General Jackson, crossed 
the Chickahominy by the grapevine bridge, and followed the 
Federal retreat by the Williamsburg and Savage Station road. 
Generals Longstreet, A. P. Hill, Huger and Magruder took 
the Charles Cit}^ road with the intention of cutting olf the re- 
treat of the Federal forces. At the White Oak Swamp the 
left wing under General Jackson came up with the Federal 
force under Generals Franklin and Sumner, about 11 a. m. 
They had crossed the stream and burned the bridge behind 
them. An artillery lire was opened on both sides, which con- 
tinued with great severity and destruction until night. The 
result of this battle was to prevent the further advance of the 
enemy in this direction, which was the single line of road 
over which trains had passed. 

" Late, on the same day, a battle was fought between the 
forces of Gen. Heintzelman and the main force of the enemy, 
which attempted to advance by the Charles City road to cut 
off the retieat. This force was led by Generals Longstreet, 
A. P. Plill and Huger. The former, however, being called 
away, the command devolved on Gen. Hill. As the masses 
advanced upon the Federal batteries of heavy guns, they were 
received with such a destructive tire of artillery and musket- 
ry as threw them into disorder. Gen. Lee sent all his dispo- 
sable troops to the rescue, but the Federal fire was so terrible 
as to disconsert the coolest veterans. Whole ranks of the 
Confederate troops were hurled to the ground. Says an actor 
in the contlict : ' The thunder of cannon, the cracking of 
musketry from thousands of combatants, mingled with the 
screams of the wounded and dying, were terrilic to the ear 
and to the imagination.'' 

"The conflict thus continued within a narrow space for 
hours, and not a foot of ground was won by the Confederates. 



30 

"Niglit was close at hand. The Federal lines were strength- 
ened and the confidence of the Confederates began to falter. 
The losses of his exhausted and wornout troops in attempt- 
ing to storm the batteries were terrible. Orders were given 
to Gen. Jackson to cover the retreat in case the army should 
have to fall back, and directions were sent to Richmond to 
get all the public property ready for removal. The Federal 
forces, perceiving the confusion, began step by step to press 
forward. The posture of affairs at this time is thus related 
by a Confederate officer : ' The enemy, noticing our confu- 
sion, now advanced, with the cry, ' Onward to Richmond ! ' 
Many old sokliers who had served in distant Missouri and on 
the plnins of Arkansas, wept in the bitterness of their souls 
like children. Of what avail had it been to us that our best 
blood had flowed for six long days ? Of what avail all our 
"unceasing and exhaustless endurance 1 Everything, every- 
thing seemed lost, and a general depression came over all our 
hearts. Batteries dashed past in headlong flight ; amunition, 
hosx:)ital and supply wagons rushed along, and swept the 
troops away with them from the battlefield. In vain was the 
most frantic exertion, entreaty and self sacrifice of the staff 
officers I The troops had lost their foot-hold, and all was 
over with the Southern Confederacy ! 

"In this moment of desperation Gen. A. P Hill came up 
with a few regiments he had managed to rally, but the enemy 
was continually pressing nearer and nearer ! Louder and 
louder their shouts and the w atchword, " On to Rich- 
mond ! " could be heard. Cavalry officers sprang from their 
saddles and rushed into the ranks of the infantry regiments 
now deprived of their proper officers. Gen. Hill seized the 
standard of the 4tli North Carolina regiment, which he had 
formerly commanded and shouted to the soldiers, "If you 
will not follow me, I will perish alone ! '' Upon this a num- 
ber of officers dashed forward to cover their beloved general 
with their bodies ; the soldiers hastily rallied, and the cry, 
'Lead on. Hill; head your old North Carolina boys ! ' rose 
over the field, 

"And now Hill charged forward with this mass he had thus 
worked up to the wildest enthusiasm. The enemy halted 



31 

when they saw these columns, in flight a moment before, now 
advancing to the attack, and Hill burst npon his late pursu- 
ers like a famished lion. 

"A fearful hand to hand conflict now ensued, for there 
was no time to load and Are. The ferocity with which this 
conflict was waged was incredible. It was useless to beg the 
exasperated men for quarter ; there was no moderation, no 
pity, no compassion in that bloody work of bayonet and 
knife. The son sank dying at his father's feet ; the father 
forgot that he had a child — a dying child ; the brother did 
not see that a brother was expiring a few paces from him ; 
the friend heard not the last groan of a friend ; all natural 
ties were dissolved ; only one feeling, of thirst, panted in 
every bosom — R,i:ve\ge. 

" Here it was that the son of Maj. Peyton, but fifteen years 
of age, called to his father for help. A ball had shattered 
both his legs. ' AVhen we have beaten the enemy then I will 
help you,' answered Peyton, ' I have other sons to lead to 
glory. Forward I ' But the column had advanced only a 
few paces further Avlien the Major himself fell to the earth a 
corpse. Prodigies of valor were here performed on both sides. 
History will ask in vain for braver soldiers than those who 
here fought and fell. But of the demoniac fury of both par- 
ties one at a distance can form no idea. 

"P2ven the wounded, despairing of succor, collecting their 
last energies of life, plunged their knives into the bosoms of 
foemen who lay near them still breathing. 

" The success of Gen. Hill enabled other generals to once 
more lead their disorganized troops back to the fight, and the 
contest was renewed along the whole line, and kei)t up until 
deep into the night ; for every thing depended upon our keep- 
ing the enemy at bay, counting too, upon their exhaustion 
at last, until fresh troops could arrive to reinforce us. At 
length, about half past ten in the evening, the divisions of 
>fagrnder. Wise and Holmes, came up and deployed to the 
front of our army." 

As I have suggested, the foregoing quotation is a some- 
what florid account of desperate, prolonged fighting. 

The foUowino; account of the Cist's fight at Glendale is 



32 

taken from the Portland Daily Press. It is the narration of a 
leading actor in the battle, and was given at the annual meet- 
ing of the Maine Commandery of the Loyal Legion held at 
Riverton, May 3d, 1899. 

'' This paper will deal chiefly with my personal experiences 
as subaltern and Captain in the Sixty-first N. Y. Volunteers 
during the first and last days of June, 18G2, in the Peninsu- 
lar Campaign, ^'irginia. 

" Omitting the narrative of the regiment's participation in 
the battles of Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage Station 
and White Oak Swamp, Ave come to the battle in which the 
writer received the wound which crippled him for life. 

" As we drew near to the battlefield of Glendale, we came 
to a place which tried the courage of us all. I shall never 
forget that scene. The road ran through an open field which 
was dotted here and there with dead and wounded men. 
There were all the grim tokens of the rear of a desperate bat- 
tle, straggling men, cannon without horses and with broken 
carriages, battle smoke in the air, and the sound of a gun 
which was out of sight in front accompanied by the howl of 
grape shot. We halted here a few moments to give the 
stragglers time to come up, and to give all a chance to breathe 
after our exhausting march. Besides the men that were ly- 
ing around us wounded, others were coming out of the woods 
in front limping and bleeding. They greeted us with such 
cheei'ing assurances as " You'll get enough in there," " Bet- 
ter throw away them knapsacks, you won't want 'em in 
there." 

" Before us there was a dark forest of great hemlocks, and 
I can see yet the lurid light of the setting sun through the 
trees and the powder smoke ; and I remember that the ques- 
tion came into my mind, " I wonder if I shall ever see anoth-' 
er setting sun." I did not, of course, give any outward sign 
of such thoughts. I had enough to do to inspire my men 
with courage, telling them we must sell our lives at a high 
price. But I have heard some of the regiment, who went 
through many subsequent battles, say that that was the dis- 
malest battle they ever saw. 

"Down into the narrow road, through the dark hemlocks 



33 

we passed. It was full of powder smoke, which with the 
dark foilage, shut out most of the daylight that remained. 
There was a solitary gun away oft' on our right, whose occa- 
sional boom sounded like a knell. 

'' We came out of the woods on the right side of a clear 
field where a portion of the afternoon battle had raged, and 
lay down by the side of the road, conscious that we were in 
a ticklish place. There was occasional firing over us into the 
field, and once in a Avhile a bullet dropped near us. But this 
soon ceased and the battlefield, as a whole, was quiet, and I 
began to hope that the battle was over. But our colonel was of 
another mind. He had reported for orders to Gen. Robinson of 
Kearney's division. Tiie twilight was deepening and the stars 
were out, when the order came, " Get up men. Steady Now, 
FoRWAKL), March!" Every man sprang to his feet. Quickly 
we were over the fence with bayonets at a charge, and when 
we were well in the field the regiment made a half right 
wheel towards a piece of woods on the other side. I was 
neither depressed nor elated, but it was a relief 
to be in motion with my company, I was simply 
in the line of dut}^ responsible for myself and my 
company. I remember how finely the regiment marched 
across that field through the shadows and the smoke to un- 
known horrors beyond. We advanced to within two or three 
rods of the woods and lay down. It was too dark by this 
time for us to see whether the woods were occupied or not, 
but after a brief interval we learned all about it. While we were 
all on the cpii vive, wondering what would come next, a voice 
broke forth from the woods clear and distinct, "What regi- 
ment is that? " Every heart stood still. Who would an- 
swer? And what would he say? To my astonishment and 
dismay one of our men piped out, "Sixty-first New York." 
Then came the blustering reply, " Lay down your arms, or 
I'll blow you all to hell. " Instantly we were on our feet, 
and by the time the orator in the woods had finished speak- 
ing his little piece our men had poured in a volley before 
they were ready for us. This must have seriously damaged 
them, for their return volley was lighter than I expected. 
There was nothing for us to do however, but to fall back a 



34 

few rods, loading and firing. We soon lialted however, and 
settled down to tlie grim game of give and take in the grow- 
ing darkness. The Hashes of their muskets were all that our 
men had to guide their aim. It was dismal business. Our 
line grew thinner, and I noticed that my company was melt- 
ing away before me. Anxious to hurt somebody I drew my 
revolver and emptied one barrel into the Avoods, but then 
considered that I might want the rest for closer work before 
we got through, and put it up again. Soon I felt a smarting 
pain in my left knee and sat down a few paces apart to see 
what made it. Finding it only a buckshot I hastened back 
to my company, but it took that buckshot wound six weeks 
to heal. It seems to me now as if I had not been back with 
my company more than a minute when crash came a blow on 
my right leg, just above the knee, like the blow of a huge 
club. There was no mistaking that. I dropped because I 
had to, and I lay flat on my back so as to avoid other bullets, 
and waited for further developments. Those were solemn 
moments for me, and yet not so terrible as one might sup- 
pose. They were not at all dreadful. I was just waiting to 
see if I was going to die from loss of blood, not knowing but 
an artery w^as severed. I distinctly remember thinking that 
I would hardly turn my hand over for the choice, whether to 
rise presently to a new heavenly home, or to struggle back 
through unknown sufferings to my old earthly home. But 
after a few moments the instinctive desire to live in the body 
l^revailed. I saw that I was not going to bleed to death, so 
I called a couple of men to carry me back to the road away 
from the firing line. In doing this, one of them put his 
arms under mj^ knees, and the pain in the wound soon be- 
came so frightful that I begged them to laj^ me down and let 
me die. They carried me to the road however, a short dist- 
ance, and there left me. 

"So there I lay on my back, looking up to the quiet stars 
and listening to the combat which was still going on. This 
is a narrative of personal experiences and feelings, designed 
for family use, and so it is in order for me to tell how I felt 
as I lay there. It might be expected that I should say that 
I was longing to be back in the fight impatient to be leading 



35 

my brave men np to the muzzles of the enemy's muskets. 
But if I were to say so I would lie. As I lay there, I was not 
all smitten bj^ a lit of the heroics nor anything of that kind. 
I was tired, almost exhausted by the exertion and excitement 
of the day, two days in fact. And it felt fine to just lie still 
there and rest. As long as I kept still my wound did not 
pain' me much. I hated bullets and had no appetiate for glory 
or promotion, and it was a relief toliethereout of rangeof the 
detestable mines. Moreover, I -had full confidence that my 
men would give a good account of themselves, whether I was 
with them or not. There was satisfaction too, in feeling that 
I was through, that I had kept in the line of duty untill was 
shot and disabled, and that I had given to my country all 
that she asked of me in the shooting line of endeavor, and 
could now take up life again on a new basis. To be sure 
there were some chances against my getting safe home again, 
but I had a cheerful confidence that I should be able to pull 
through somehow. I have often been amused while thinking 
of my feelings as I lay there across the middle of the road. 
The prevailing sensation was one of relief. I was no cow-boy 
or rough-rider. I was just an ordinary patriot and student, 
ready to bleed and die if need be for my country, but never 
spoiling for a fight. And I know that many of my bravest 
comrades were made of the same stufi'. 

My greatest want just then was water, and that I couldn't 
get it until a rebel supplied me next morning. Even when 
our regiment came back to the road where I lay, or what was 
left of it, no one could get a drop for me. Colonel Barlow 
came to me after the fighting was over, and showed all the ten- 
derness of a brother, letting me see a side of his nature that 
I had never known anything about before. He deplored the 
fact that there was no way by which he could have me carried 
off and kei)t within our lines. And so, after having me mov- 
ed to the side of the road, and after my friends had come and 
talked with me and bade me good-bye, that splendid little 
regiment marched away about two o'clock in the morning, 
and left me to reach home, nearly dead, after about twenty- 
four days, by the way of Libby prison. 

"The Sixty-first New York left about one-third of their 



36 

number dead or wouded on that field, including six out of its 
nine officers, of whom three lost one leg each, and one of 
them died in Libby prison. Only a month of fighting and 
its numbers were reduced from 432 to about 150. 

" Dropping now the personal narrative, let us in the briefest 
sketch, follow that plucky little regiment under its peerless 
commanders, 

" See them the very next day at Malvern Hill, again en- 
during the pounding of artillery until nearly night, and 
again in open field engaging the enemy under cover of the 
Moods until they 'had fired 90 rounds per man and were all 
ready to charge with bayonets if required. 

" See them at Antietam, with the ranks replenished from 
the hospital and recruiting offices, under the cool and skilful 
leading of their colonel, getting advantage of a whole rebel 
brigade where there was a deep cut in the road, and, after 
slaughtering many of them, actually capturing about three 
hundred prisoners, more than they themselves numbered. 
There they lost their intrei)id colonel. Barlow, by a desper- 
ate wound and subsequent promotion. 

"But he was succeeded by a soldier equally brave and 
gallant, Lieut. Colonel Nelson A. Miles, who in the battle of 
Fredericksburg led them to the useless slaughter at the foot 
of Marye's Heights, until a bloody wound in his neck spared 
the regiment a desperate attempt to get a little nearer than 
other regiments to the invincible lines of the enemy. 

" See them at Chancellorsville, with Miles again leading in 
a brilliant fight on the skirmish line. 

" See the devoted little company in the Wheat Field at 
Gettysburg, hardly a company all told now — only 93— baring 
their breasts to the storm of Confederate bullets and leaving 
G2 of their number, two-thirds, among the killed and wound- 
ed. 

" Nearly a year later, after 600 recruits had made it nearly 
a new regiment, see it keeping up its old reputation for 
hard fighting in the Wilderness campaign, losing 36 at Cor- 
bin's Bridge and 13 at Po River, and then at the famous 
Bloody Angle at Spottsylvania, having a place of honor and 
peril in one of the two leading brigades which scaled the 



37 

rebel works and took between three and four thousand piis- 
oners. Then see them at Cold Harbor sacrificing 22 of their 
number in a bloody repulse in that useless slaughter. 

" In the siege of Petersburg see them in repeated engage- 
ments. At Ream's Station, when one regiment after another 
of recruits gave wa3% Walker tells us that Gen. Miles, com- 
manding a division, ' calling up a portion of his own old regi- 
ment the Sixtj"-tii:stNewYork which still remained firm, threw 
it across the breastworks, at right angles, and commenced to 
fight his way back, leading the regiment in person. Only a 
few score of men — perhaps 200 in all — stood by him; but with 
these he nmde ground, step by step, until he had retaken 
Dauchej^'s battery, and had recaptui'ed a considerable por 
tion of the line, actually driving the enemy into the railroad 
cut." 

"At last at Farmsville, only a day before the end of the 
struggle, this regiment sealed its devotion to the tlag by the 
loss of four killed, including one captain, and twelve wound- 
ed. 

" In the round up of Lee's army culminating at Appomat- 
ax, two divisions of the corps were commanded by Sixty- 
first men. Barlow commanded one and Miles the other, and 
between them they fought the last infantry battle of the 
Army of the Potomac." 

" In Colonel Fox's admirable analysis of the Regimental 
Losses during the Civil war, he shows that the Sixty-first 
New York came very near having a place among the forty- 
five regiments that lost over two hundred men, killed or 
mortally wounded in action during the war. Its actual loss 
was 198, including 16 oflScers. He says: 'The Sixty-first had 
the good fortune and honor to be commanded by men who 
proved to be among the ablest soldiers of the war. They 
made brilliant records as colonels of this regiment, and, being 
promoted, achieved a national reputation as division gen- 
erals. The Sixty -first saw an unusual amount of active ser- 
vice and hard fighting. It served through the war in a di- 
vision that was commanded successively by Generals Rich- 
ardson, (killed at Antietam), Hancock, Caldwell, Barlow and 
Miles, and any regiment that followed the fortunes of these 



38 

men was sure to find plenty of bloody vvoik cut out for it.'' 

In the i)lace we were niarnhed to we lay down. Very soon 
the iifty men under Captains Broady ,and Mount, who had 
been detached, joined the forty or so of ns making all told a 
iighting force of from ninety to one hundred men. Most, if 
not all the men, except those on guard, went to sleei^. 

About two o'clock a. m. of July 1st, we were quietly 
awakened and cautioned to make no noise. The order to 
move was whispered and we started silently. 

A good part of our way was over a road through the woods. 
No artillei'y or wagon trains were in the way, and we shoved 
along at a good pace. Most of the canteens were empty be- 
fore the last battle, and now the men were suffering for water 
nearly as much as it was possible for them to. I do not know 
of any of our troops following us, and it is mj" belief that 
we were the last of the Army of the Potomac to go over this 
road, as we were, the following December to cross the pon- 
toon bridge at Fredericksburg. 

I suppose we made a march of from three to five miles, 
when we came into open country, not far from three o'clock 
a. m. The light was just beginning to show in the East. 
We did not know the locality or the name of the place if it 
had oup. We saw that a part of our army at least Avas 
massed here. Later on we came to know that it was Mal- 
vern Hill, where a great battle was soon to be fought. I am 
glad we did not know it before it came. In our ignorance, we as- 
sumed that now the fighting was over for a time, and we 
Avould be given a chance to recuperate after the strain of the 
past week. As soon as arms were stacked details for water 
gathered the dry canteens and went in search of the much 
needed fluid. Those who could, stretched out on Mother 
Earth for another nap. 

As soon as the sun was up the men stirred themselves, 
made coffee and. ate such food as they had in their haversacks 
— hard bread, and boiled salt pork, or beef. At such times 
the soldier's menu is not elaborate, and he is satisfied if 
there is enough of it to prevent the pangs of hunger. 

We were occupying an open field with other troops of our 
corps, without protection from the broiling sun. The intense 



lieat was not as bad as a battle, but some of our men were 
used up by it. T think it must have been in the neif^hbor- 
hood of 10 a. ni. when some of our men spoke out: ' There's 
the reb's phintin.o- a battery.' Every eye was turned in the 
direction indicated. It was plain to be seen that artillery 
Avas being placed, but, at the distance, I could not distin- 
guish the uniforms, and I declared that they were our men. 
My wisdom did not have long to maintain itself, for in a 
short time shells were dropping in on us in a way no friend 
would shoot. 

Now preparations were rapidly going on for a great battle 
— the last of an historic series. Amniunition was being dis- 
tributed to the infantry, boxes of cartridges were brought to us 
and opened while we were standing this shelling, Capt. Broady 
superintended the distribution. Every man filled his cartouch, 
and then Broady made us take from forty to sixty rounds in 
the haversacks. He declared as lie went up and down the 
lines, when some of the men grumbled at the quantity, ' Men, 
you may be glad to have them before you get more.' After 
a while our batteries silenced the guns that had been making- 
it disagreeable for us. 

While we were in this place a matter transpired that has left 
an unfading impression on my mind. A member of our regi'- 
ment, who had been much of the time detailed, and had acted 
as hostler for some of the field officers, but was now with his 
company, came up to Colonel Barlow with a woe-begone 
countenance and told him that he was sick and not able to 
be in the ranks, and said that the doctor thought he ought 
to be permitted to go to the rear. No doubt Barlow 
had noted the use this man had been put to, and, where 
he believed a soldier was managing to escape danger 
and find a soft place, he always endeavored to make it as un- 
pleasant for that man as possible. The Colonel was not in 
an amiable frame of niind. lie was on foot, old " Billy "' had 
been killed the night before, and he felt like having a dia- 
logue with someone. He asked this man some questions which 
satisfied him he was a coward. His wrath broke out vehem- 
ently. He cursed and swore at him and called him a variety 
of unpleasant and detestable things and then he began to 



40 

i:)uncli him with his list wherever he could hit. Finally he 
I)artly turned him around, and gave him a hearty kick in the 
stern and said: " Damn you, get away from here! You're 
not lit to be with my brave men." The fellow departed as 
fast as his short iegs would carry him. I knew of no other 
man presenting an excuse or asking for leave of absence that 
day. I believe every man of us preferred to meet the rebels 
rather than the vocal scorn and denunciation of Barlow. I 
believe he did not know what personal, bodily fear was, and 
he had no consideration for a coward. 

I met Barlow in New^ York in La Payette Post Room, at the 
time Sixty-firstEegimental asociation was formed. I made this 
remark to him: "I never went into a battle without an effort 
of my will, and always expected to be wounded or killed." 
He said in his quiet way, " I never felt so, I never had an 
impression that I was to be hurt." In the address at Hamil- 
ton, N. Y., in 1897, before referred to. Gen. Howard said 
that Gen. Barlow was one the bravest and coolest men he 
ever saw in battle. 

x\.fter a while our brigade was moved forward and about 
half way up a rise of ground — it was hardly a hill — at the 
tojj of which were an old house and barn. We were ordered 
to lie down in suppoit of a battery in front that was doing a 
lively business. I remember that before getting down I 
spread my rubber blanket to lie on. The fragments of the 
exploded shells came showering down upon and about us, 
presently a chunk large enough to have laid me out a harm- 
less corpse came tearing through my blanket, but in a spot 
uot covered by my body. Every now and then along the 
supporting line a man was knocked out. It was at this time 
that Ralph Plaskell, a Hamilton boy, and another lying beside 
him had their brains knockad out by these shell fragments. 
They were but a few feet from me and 1 saw the wdiole 
bloody business. 

About this time a remarkable freak was perpetrated on the 
body of Capt. Broady. He was standing, when in an instant 
he was thrown to the ground with great force, and he lay 
there quivering as if life were the same as extinct. Col. 
Barlow saw him fall and ordered his body taken to the rear 



41 

This was clonp 1>y a number of men, who remained l)y the 
body to observe the passing of the last breath, wlien to their 
supprise tlie captain opened his eyes and, with his slightly 
Sweedish brogue, inquired if he was much hurt. The men 
replied, " Why yes, you're all knocked to pieces." The 
captain wiggled about some and then asked, " IIow do you 
know men, do you see the blood run?" They had to answer 
"No." By this time his consciousness had fully returned. 
He directed the men to help him onto his feet and soon can)e 
back with his old-fashioned nippy gait. Barlow had regard- 
ed him as ticketed for the "happy hunting ground" and 
when he saw him walking back to the line, he was quite sur- 
prised. He looked him over for a moment, and then said to 
his regiment, "Men, give Capt. Broady three cheers, he's a 
brave man." This we did with a will. When we got to a 
place where an examination could be had, it was found that 
Broady had been so struck by a piece of shell that it went 
through his overcoat, and then rotated in such a manner as 
to cut the tails off from his dress coat, so that, after we got 
to Harrison's Landing the captain went about dressed in that 
frock coat with the skirts cut off. In other words he was 
supporting a jacket. 

Shortly after this episode Ave were ordered forward up the 
slope to the level ground and where the before mentioned old 
house and barn were. We again lay down. The enemy 
were shelling these buildings at a terrific rate, the rattle and 
crash of the shells into that woodwork made the hair fairly 
stand on end. As we first lay down, it was found best to 
have the men face about. This was done without getting up 
and countermarching, but by facing around and bringing the 
rear into the front rank. The officers crawled back as best 
they could, and the sergents did the same. I Mas making 
my way to the rear when one of the officers turned up his 
head and said to me, "Where in the devil are you trying to get 
to?" The tone indicated that he thought I was trying to 
sneak off. This made me mad, and I snarled out, " I'm try- 
ing to get into my place. If you think I'm afraid, I'll go to 
the front as far as you dare to!" Within the following year 
this officer came to know me well, and had, I believe, conii- 



42 

dence that I would not seek to avoid a place of danger. 

After a time this artillery attack on our position ceased, 
and we were ordered forward to the brow of the hill on the 
other side. Here we had planted the greatest continuous 
row of cannon I ever saw set for work in a battle. I would 
not be surprised to have it said by authority that fifty of 
them crowned the brow of this elevation. Oar position was 
immediately on the right flank of this line of guns. 

The Seventh New York, a German regiment, was formed 
on the left of the Sixty -first N, Y., and in the rear of the 
artillery as a support. This German regiment joined our 
brigade after the battle of Fair Oaks. It came to us from 
Fortress Monroe, about one thousand strong under Col. Van- 
Shack. He had, I believe, served in the German army and 
was a fine appearing officer, but a full blooded German or- 
ganization was not, in this country in those days, on a par 
with " Yankee " troops. A sprinkling of Dutchmen was all 
right. We had in the Sixty-first Germans and Dutchmen, 
who were the peers as soldiers, of any in the regiment, but 
this Seventh regiment when it went into action jabbered and 
talked Dutch to exceed in volubility any female sewing 
society ever -assembled. As they came up and got into posi- 
tion the volume of jabber almost overcame the rattle of 
musketry and the roar of artillery. I am certain their 
conduct did not favorably impress our men. If the German 
Emperor's army is not made of grimmer stuff than I saw ex- 
hibited in pure German regiments in our army, I would not fear 
the result in matching them with Americans from the North 
or the South, 

It was said, and I suppose it was so, that in front of us was 
Magruder and the story was current that he had served his 
men with gunpowder and whiskey. Many stories are on the 
wind at such times that are no nearer the truth than lies. I 
do not believe the rank and file very often had their courage 
braced up with whiskey. 

The battle of Malvern Hill was a sx)lendid fight for our 
side, and I firmly believe if we had been commanded by a 
brave and confident man like Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, 
Thomas or by some of the corps commanders of the Potomac 



43 

Army, Gen. Lee might have been pushed at least into the 
defences of Richmond. But McClelhin was on the James 
protecting the gun boats, and composing a scolding letter to 
the president — probably. 

From our position on the brow of the hill, it was open 
ground for a distance and gently sloped off to the woods. 
Time after time the enemy formed for the purpose of making 
a charge on us^ but no sooner did they appear than this im- 
mense line of artillery opened tire, which no troops in the 
world could withstand. In aid of the artillery fire, the in- 
fantry posted so as to have a chance, poured in volley after 
volley. Col. Barlow practiced here that which I never saw 
before or after in battle — volley firing by ranks. Then he 
changed it to firing by files and then to firing at will which 
is as often as you please. This tremendous storm of missiles 
lield the confederates at bay. They did in a feeble way re- 
ply to our fire, and we lost in killed and a large number 
wounded. At times our firing was so rapid that the gun 
barrels became heated to the point that they could not be 
grasped and the men held their guns by the sling strap. I 
had some personal experiences in this battle that were 
unique in my service. Our muskets were the Enfield rifle, 
an English gun, much like the Springfield. They were, of 
course, muzzle loaders, breech loaders then were the excep- 
tion. The Minnie bullet had no device for cleaning out the 
barrel, and after a dozen shots it would become foul, and 
often it was difiicult to ram the bullet home. After I had 
fired my gun a number of times, in attempting to load, the 
bullet lodged half way down. I made desperate efforts to 
send it home but to no purpose. I found a stone large 
enough to pound on the end of the ramrod, but the only effect 
seemed to be to set it the snugger. It was the wrong place 
to hesitate in. I capped the tube, drew up the gun and pull- 
ed the trigger expecting an explosion. The kick was strong 
but I did not discover any damage to the gun— doubtless the 
barrel was injured. I picked up another gun left by some 
dead or wounded man and resumed my work. After ex- 
hausting the cartridges in my cartridge box, I had my hand 
in mv haversack for a fresh package, when I felt myself 



44 

severely hart in the arm. The sensation was, it seemed to 
me, as if a red hot rod had been run over it. I supposed 1 
was badly damaged and brought up my arm so as to examine 
it in the growing darkness. I found that a bullet had taken 
the skin off from my w^rist, a piece as large as a cent, and only 
to the depth to allow the blood to slowly ooze through. The 
momentary hurt of this slight liesli, or skin wound was more 
severe than I experienced a year later when the bones of my leg 
and arm were shot through. The next day on the march to Har- 
rison's Landing, where we halted long enongli for lunch, I 
discovered that this bullet had gone through my haversack, 
cutting off a piece of the rim of my tin plate, and, in its pass- 
age had journed through my bags of coffee and sugar and 
had compounded them considerably. 

In this fight George Joyce of Co. C was seriously wound- 
ed through the arm, so that he was obliged to go to the hos- 
pital. He was a singular person — small in stature, illiterate, 
and until he became known for what he was, regarded by all 
as a. braggadocio. I do not remember that his remarkable 
qualities were observed until the night before at Glendale. 
It was during the second attack, while I was off on my Hank 
movement, that Barlow ordered the men further forward. 
A man spoke out, " We will follow the colors." Joyce had 
them, or took them as a volunteer — as he was but a private — 
went to the front with them, jabbed the staff into the ground 
and said, " There's your colors! Come up to them! " and the 
men obeyed. For this act Barlow complimented Joyce, and 
then and there promoted him to an orderh^ sergeancy in 
in another company. I shall mention Joyce again, when he 
next appeared with the regiment at Fredericksburg. 

The fighting was prolonged until late into the evening, and 
the usual amount of ammunition taken into the battle was 
exhausted before we left the field. I remember Barlow's 
saying, " If the enemy make another attack, we will meet 
them with the cold steel." 

Gradually things quieted, and about 12 o'clock we fell back 
a few rods and Jay down on our arms. We were not disturbed 
till daylight, when we could see that the retreat movement 
w'as still in progress. 



45 

Finally we took onr turn in the nuircli. We had not gone 
far when one of the men came to me and said that our flag 
was back where we had rested after the fight, and he asked 
if he had better go back for it. 1 said to him, " By all means 
get the flag!" He did as requested, and that same bunting- 
waved on a good many hard fought fields afterward. I do 
not know, but presume that this flag was finally replaced by 
another. It was, even then, much delapidated, and at Antie- 
tam it was mercilessly pierced and torn. The road we final- 
ly reached, for Harrison's Landing soon entered a narrow 
place between two bluffs. Two or three columns were using 
the road and when they came to this sort of gorge it became 
almost a jam. I remember hearing a few guns fired at this 
time, and the effect on the men was to cause them to crowd 
faster to the rear. At the. time it came to my mind with pain- 
ful force, "K the rebels should attack us with a brave, fresh 
division, they would stampede us." From what I have since 
read, I think each army considered itself whipped and was 
glad to get into a place of safety! 

At all events, we were not further molested in our march 
to Harrison's Landing. We reached the place about noon 
and went into camp. The James River, from ten miles be- 
low Richmond down to Bermuda Hundred, is about as tortu- 
ous as a river ever runs. At that point it widens out, a dis- 
tance of from one to two miles ; much of that space is, of 
course, shallow water. 

The next day the enemy run down a battery or two, on the 
south side of the river, and gave us a lively shelling. Our 
division general, Richardson, wanted to change the location 
of some of us, and became very impatient at the slow move- 
ments of the men. He roared out : " 3Ia/:e haste, men ! make haste ! 
€very minute is an hour ! and the men hustled at a livelier gait. 

Richardson steadily grew in the esteem of his men. The 
story had got noised a))out that while we lay in camp Just 
before Fair Oaks, a loafer about his headquarters address- 
ed insulting language to a woman who was employed in doing 
certain domestic work and who followed up the army. The 
general heard the vile talk of the fellow from liis tent. He 
hastily made his appearance, and, in Avords expressed his 



46 

disapproval of such conduct, and, in acts he kicked the 
offender a number of times with such power as to raise him 
at every kick a number of feet into the air, and then sent 
him to his regiment. That offence was not again committed 
at those headquarters. 

In a few days the army was in position at Harrison's Land- 
ing, The James at tliis point bends in slightly on the North 
bank and is very wide. A line of breastworks was thrown up 
surrounding the encampment. I presume the place was made 
secure against any attack from the enemy. As McClellan 
Avas an engineer officer, he was, doubtless, good for entrench- 
ments, if for nothing else. 

On the Fourth of July President Lincoln came to ns and 
we were reviewed by him and the commander of the army. 
Mr. Lincoln was dressed in black clothes and wore a silk 
liat. That hat on the top of his six feet four made him a 
very tall man. Recently the newspapers have published a 
story purporting to have been told by Gen. Lew Wallace, to 
this effect; He was one day at the White House. It was 
just after the Army of the Potomac had got to its new base. 
The president was so obviously sad and cast down that the 
general ventured to remark upon it. The president took 
him across the room where no one conld hear what he said 
and there told him that in an hour he was to start for the 
Army of the Potomac to prevent its commander from sur- 
rendering it to Lee. While I think McClellan was a fearful 
incompetent, I am slow to believe, if the above ever took 
place, that Mr. Lincoln had good grounds for his belief. In 
those early years of the war, no doubt, much was reported 
that, later, would not be listened to. Whatever may have 
been the moving cause, the president was with us that day, 
and we cheered his presence to the echo. 

During the weeks we were here encamped, we went to the 
James for occasional bathing, but we did not have facilities 
for washing our clothes in boiling water. The result was 
that we were all well stocked with body lice. The men gen- 
erally were diligent in picking off and destroying the lives 
of these little animals by pressure between the thumb 
nails. The slaughter of all in view one day, left enough 



47 

back in roncealnient so that the next day's hunt was always 
rewarded by abundant captures. 

The only time I was excused from duty while in the ser- 
vice on account of sickness was while we were in camp here. 
One day I took a company of sick to the doctor. I staid by till 
he had passed out the last dose. We had three remedies, 
one of which would hit any possible case. They were opium 
pills, castor oil and quinine. The pills cured all bowel 
troubles; castor oil lubricated and opened up the internal 
functions, and quinine cured everything else. I remarked 
to the doctor that I would rather like to experience the sen- 
sation of being excused from duty and placed on the sick 
list for one day. Nothing in particular was doing, so the 
obliging surgeon said, "All right, you may go to your quart- 
ers sick and be excused from duty for one day.'' I am now 
glad to say, that was the first and last time I was ever so 
favored. 

In this camp I was subjected to discipline by Col. Barlow. 
The evening before, on dress parade, I was named to take 
charge of a police detail from the Sixty-first, which was to 
report at brigade headquarters the next morning at five 
o'clock. I had slept but little during the night. Toward 
morning I fell into a drowse, and was awakened out of it by 
the reveille. I hurried out of my tent and was getting my 
detail together, hoping that the colonel would not notice my 
tardiness. I got to the place of rendezvous the first of any 
one in the brigade, and had to wait for an hour before a start 
was made. Our party worked through the forenoon, pick- 
ing up all litter, looking after sinks, burying dead ani- 
mals and doing whatever came in view to make our section 
of the country sanitary and look tidy. This performed we 
returned to our respective regiments. Having dismissed my 
detail, I was going to my tent when Sergeant Major Greig 
sang out, " Sergeant Fuller, the colonel says you may con- 
sider yourself under arrest, and you will confine yourself to 
your tent." I knew of course the reason for this. I stayed 
within for a couple of days, and then wrote a statement of 
the case and got a drummer to take it to the colonel. It 
came right back with an endorsement that if I had any com- 



48 

immioaticn to make, it could be done tliroiigli tlie regular 
cliaiinel. I then sent the paper to Lieut. Keeeh and he 
forwarded it to tlie colonel. In a few moments I received 
from him a line that I was relieved from arrest and could re- 
sume my duties. These disciplinary matters were needful to 
keep the men up to their duties, antl the organization instruct- 
(mI, and in working order. 

One evening J3arlow took the regiment and started for the 
front. We passed our intrenchments, and, it was said, we 
marched in the direction of Malvern Hill. We advanced a 
number of miles, discovered no eneny and returned to camp 
before morning. 

About the eighth of August signs appeared that a change 
was coming. The seige guns were withdrawn and shipped, 
as were the heavier camp equipage and extra baggage. Aug. 
lOth about noon we broke camp and moved out, we did not 
know where to, nor where for. It proved to be a march 
down the peninsula. The first day out we made but about 
four miles, and halted near a corn field. The corn was fit 
for I'oasting and the men had a feast. I suppose the strict 
rules of McClellan's armj^ probably, were violated as there 
was some foraging done. 

August ITrli we made twelve miles, and passed Charles 
City Court House. Inexcusable vandalism was here com- 
mitted. The books and records of the county seat were 
scattered about in profusion. Many documents two hun- 
dred years old were passed about, and there were those 
witli AVashington's signature. We crossed the Chickahomo- 
ny, I was told, near its junction with the James, on a pon- 
toon bridge, I should think one-eighth of a mile in length. 
It was the longest stretch of bridge of the kind I ever saw. 

The road we took on this march was not the one by which 
we went up, on our way to the Richmond we did not see until 
about three j^ears after. The country does not vary much 
from prairie level. The soil is light, with no stone in it to 
speak of. In a dr\' tiuie, with considerable travel it powders 
up so that in going through it the dust rises in almost solid 
columns. A good part of the Potomac armj", horse, artillery, 
foot and baggage trains, had preceded us. This made the 
dust as deep as it could be. Much of the road was through 



40 

forests. T well remember this' march from the dust experience. 
It exceeded anything I ever heard of. We would march for long 
distances when a man could not see his file leader — the dust so 
filled the air as to prevent seeing. Of course, the men had to 
breath this air. The nostrils would become plugged with the 
dust so moi.stend as to make slugs. Every now and then the 
men would fire them out of their noses almost as forcibly as a 
boy snaps a marble from his fingers. I remember having serious 
forbodini^s that taking in such quantities of road dirt would cause 
lasting injury. I do not know that my apprehensions of evil 
from this cause were ever realized. I suppose the dust that got 
into the lungs worked out in some way. 

Aug. 19th we passed through Williamsburg, the site of Wil- 
liam's and Mary's College and the capital of tlie colony in the 
days when Patrick Henry told the House of Delegates that, 
" Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and 
George the third — might profit by their example." At this time 
tlie place was very delapidated. As I remember there was but 
one good looking house. The place had been well fortified against 
our approach as we were going up in May. 

Aug. 20th we reached Yorktovvn and went into camp on the 
same piece of ground we had used about three months before- 
Those three months had wrought great changes in our circum- 
stances as a regiment and an army. "We had met the enemy' 
and he was Not ours. After stacking arms I wandered around 
and in so doing came across a quantity of split peas, which doubt- 
less had been left by our army on the upward march. With 
others I concluded to try a change of diet and prepare a banquet 
for mastication that evening. 1 took enough of the peas to cook 
my quart cup full, and patiently sat by the camp fire through 
the evening looking after the cooking. It was quite late when they 
were boiled tender. I was hungry from the waiting, they touch- 
ed the spot in the way of relishing, and, in a brief time the bottona 
of that old quart cup was bare. The prevailing complaint with 
the men was diarrhoea, and I was one of the prevalents, so to 
speak. This was not hygenic food for such a case, and, without 
further words, I was not very well the remainder of the night. 
The weather had been hot fur that latitude. The next morning 



50 

it was like the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar — several times hotter 
than it had been. I felt more like being petted by a nurse than 
to shoulder my traps and tramp. I could hardly stand, but to go 
was a necessit3^ We made that day a march of twenty miles, I 
think. Not being able to step out squarely, but rather drag and 
shuttle along, I began to chafe badly, which made the marching 
very painful. I kept up with the boys till towards the close of 
day and about a mile from where camp was made, when I grew 
dizzy. I saw all sorts of colors. I staggered out one side and 
went down like a bundle of old clothes. I lay there in semi- 
consciousness, until the rear guard came along, when I was ac- 
costed with the question, " What are you here for?" I said 1 
couldn't go another step. " Well, but you must. Come, get up, 
or we'll prick you." I made the effort under this pressure, 
and did work my way over that mile to where the regiment had 
stacked arms. This was the first and only time I ever failed to 
be present with the regiment when it stacked arms and I was 
with it. 

On this occasion whiskey had been issued. The first time 
since it had been given us when stationed behind the breast- 
works at Fair Oaks. Some one of my friends had saved for me 
my ration and it was a big one. I should think there was nearly 
a tumbler full of it, and it was the rankest, rottenest whisk:ey I 
ever saw, smelled or tasted. My legs were raw and bloody from 
the chafing, and I was sick all over. I divided my whiskey in- 
to two equal parts, one half I used on the raw flesh, and it took 
hold like live coals. This done I nerved myself to drink the 
balance, and, by an effort, kept it down. I rolled up in my 
blanket, went to sleep, and so remained till roll call next morn- 
ins:. When I stirred I was somewhat sore and stiff' but was 
essentially well, and made that day's march as easily as I ever 
did. During this day's march we had one of the hardest 
showers I was ever out in-. In a short time every rag on the 
men was drenched. Shortly after the sun came out and before 
halting the heat of the sun and bodies had dried everyone, and 
we felt as though \vt had been washed and ironed — thoroughly 
laundered. This day's march brought us to Newport News, where 
shipping was at anchor to transport us somewhere. 



51 

We took a stoamDr which headed for the Potomac. During the 
time since we left Harrison's Landing Lee had cut across the 
country and was inaking it warm for Gen. Pope in the Shenan- 
doah. The army of the Potomac, in place of following in the 
rear of Lee, made its slow way down the peninsula, and then 
shipped up the Chcsapeak and Potomac, unloading at Aquia 
Creek, Alexandria, etc. 

On the 27th of August, at about two p. m., our steamer stopped 
at Aquia Creek landing. We went ashore and marched inland 
some five or six miles and went into camp. Here wo heard ar- 
tillery tiring. No doubt from some one of the numerous conflicts 
Pope was then having. 

About ten p. m. ordt;rs were given to "fall in." We returned 
to the Landing, took our steamer, and proceeded up the river to 
Alexandria. Here we again went ashore, and were marched out 
to the grounds of Camp California, the same spot we had winter- 
ed on. We remained in this camp till about 6. p. m. of the 29th 
of August, when we marched and went into camp near Arlington. 
Here we remained till about three p. m. next day, when hurried 
orders were received to march with nothing but guns and ammu- 
nition. Our shelter tents were left standing, and our blankets in 
them, but the men had hungered and thirsted too much within 
the last six months to leave haversacks and canteens. It may 
be that this order to take nothing but our arms and cartridges 
had got distorted in transmission from headquarters, as it would 
seem that no general officer would start men out without food 
and water. At all events, the men knew enough to disobey 
such an order. 

Heavy firing was going on in the direction of Centreville, some 
twenty miles away. We had not drawn shoes since setting out 
on the peninsula campaign, and the soles of our shoes were worn 
lamost tlirough. This road to Cjntreville was full of small round 
stones and they were hard on our feet. We stepped out on a rapid 
niarcli and made very few halts till we were within sight of the 
heiglits of Centerville. Then the column was halted, and the 
wear}' men lay down in the road where they were halted, and 
went to sleep. 

Early in the morning we were aroused and met an endless 



52 

stream of men hurrying to the rear. These were of Pope^s 
army who the day before had fought the battle of Second 
Bull Run. It has always been a mystery to me why old Sumner 
and his second corps were not in the light. Surely from the 
time we landed at Aquia Creek on the 27th, there was abun- 
dant time to have gone to Pope. In place of doing that we 
were lounging around for about three i)recious days. Gen. 
Porter may have been wrongfully convicted of disobedience 
to Pope's orders. Gen. Grant came to be of that opinion, 
but I have never seen anything to make me doubt that the, 
so to speak, McClellan officers were so disgruntled at the 
practical retirement of their "beloved chief" that they gave 
no cordial suj)port to Gen. Pope. I never supposed that 
Edwin V. Sumner was one of them, and I have always be- 
lieved that he was ever readj^ To Fight for the Union, who- 
ever commanded. 

We pushed out beyond the old fortified line held by the 
enemy the winter before, and there the Second corps was 
deployed in line of battle. This morning there was a stead}^ 
rain that drenched us. When night came there were no 
blankets, and it was cold and the ground soaked. - The men 
]'cij down together as closely as they could pack themselves, 
but it Avas an uncomfortable night. Under such hardships 
men become impatient and reckless, and prefer a fight to the 
discomfort. We occupied this ground next day. Towards 
jiight a very hard rain came down, which gave ns another 
rinsing. We moved back a piece where there w^ere large 
fresh brush jiiles. These we fired and, while they lasted 
we had comfortable warmth. Then we lay down on the wet 
ground and courted sleep. About 9 p. m. orders were passed 
along to get up and move. We were all night in making a 
very few miles. 

The next morning we learned that we were near Chantilla, 
where the night before we had a brush with the enemy in 
which we sustained a serious loss in the death of Gen. Philip 
Kearney. He was one of the men that had won the reputa- 
tion of loving the terrors of battle. He had lost an arm in 
Mexico, but single handed he would go into a fight, as an 
eater would go to a banquet. Kearney was a grandson of 



53 

Judge Watts, who owned land and had a house in the town 
of Sherburne, and, in his boyhood days, Kearney spent some 
time here with his grandfather. 

We hiy in the vicinity of Fairfax Court House tlirough the 
day. Towards evening we marched to Hall's Hill, not far 
from Chain Bridge. On the way we got a few shells from 
the enemy, which hastened our footsteps. 

Sept. 3rd, we crossed Chain Bridge and marched about five 
miles to Tanleytown, where we remained until Sept. fith. 
At this place our tents, knapsacks and blankets came to 
us, and were received with thanks. Campaigning in August 
and September in Virginia without shelter and blankets was 
a hardship. Such exx)osure uses up men as speedily as fight- 
ing. While in this camp the men lived " sumptously every 
day." It was but five miles from Washington, and the pie 
and cake vendors were out in sufficient numbers to supply 
all demands. 

On the 5th we were marched about nine miles and camped 
near Rockville, a fiourishing village in Maryland. Our com- 
pany was placed on picket. The next morning I discovered 
a cow near by, and persuaded her to allow me to barrow my 
old quart cup full of her milk. As I drank it I vowed, if 
ever I got home, I would make a specialty of drinking fresh 
milk as long as I relished it. 

Sept. 6th we marched beyond Rockville about six miles and 
formed in line of battle. Batteries were posted and, so far 
as we knew, there was to be a fight, but it blew over. Such 
*' scares" are of frequent occurance in a soldier's experience. 
We remained in this place until the 9th, then marched about 
six miles and camped. After all was quiet some of my friends 
went out, and late returned with a supply of potatoes and 
" garden sass. " On the loth a march of four miles was made. 
On the 11th five miles, and we camped at a small place called 
Clarksvill. Here our company was detailed as provost guard. 
We remained at this place through the day. Someone ])ur- 
chased or took a duck. We had a most delicious meal in 
the shape of a stew. Potatoes, onions and such like, were 
boiled with it, until the whole substance was a tender mush. 
I know that after that meal the feasters were almost too full 
for utterance. 



54 

At tliis time the little Sixty-first regiment was commanded 
by Colonel Barlow and Lieut. Col. Miles. For field purposes 
the regiment was divided into three companies. First, the 
company commanded by Capt. Angel and Lieut. Keech, in 
M'liich was my comijany C. (Capt. Broady was at this time 
away on sick leave.) Second company was commanded by 
Capt. Walter H. Maze and the third by Capt. Geo. D. H. Watts. 
There were about 35 men to the company. In other words, 
there were but one hundred and five muskets for all of these 
officers to direct. I have often remarked on what I deemed 
to be a very idiotic policy i^ursued by the authorities of the 
State of New York at this time, and I have believed that Gov, 
Morgan was equally to blame with Seymour. W^hat I refer 
to is this. When troops w^ere to be furnished by the State of 
New York, these governors would, as I understand it, or- 
ganize new regiments of raw men, Avhen there were scores of 
vetei'an organizations in the field with the rank and file 
greatly depleted. The Sixty-first was not the only skeleton 
Nt^w York regiment in the field. This regiment always had 
enough officers to have commanded in battle five hundred 
men, and, by experience in battle, they had come to know 
how to handle tliem. It w^ould have been an immense saving 
to have filled up and made these weak regiments strong by 
sending to them from rendezvous camps recruits by th^; 
fifties. The new men would have rapidly taken up and learn' 
ed their duties in the field from contact with the men who 
had learned what they knew from actual service. Then, the 
ofliceivs in these old regiments had got weeded out. The 
cowards and w^eaklings had, generally, been discharged, and 
their places filled by Soldiers who had come from the ranks- 
I was never informed why this common sense plan was not 
adopted. I imagine that the powers were not so much for 
the good of the cause, as to make themselves strong politi- 
cally throughout the state from the appointment of a great 
number of officers. In state politics it was as powerful as in 
national politics to have the apiDointment of a horde of civil 
and military officers. If a governor was infiuenced by such 
considei anions and understood how detrimental to the country 
such a course was, uiorallv he waj a traitor, and oufrlit tO' 



55 

suffer the odium of treason conniiitted. Some of the states 
had the wisdom and the patriotism to adopt thephm of Iceep- 
ing the regiments at the front filled up. It was a orj ing 
shame to allow Frances C. Barlow to command a rea:iment 
carrying but a little over one hundred muskets. Someone 
should have seen to it that the Sixty-first should never have 
been long with less than five hundred men in the ranks. 

On the tenth we marched ten miles, passing through 
Hyattstown. On Saturday, the 13th, we marched through 
one of the finest towns I had seen in the South— Fred- 
erick, Md. We camped on the further side of the town. 
Sunday we hoped would be a day of rest. In the morning a 
field of ripe potatoes was discovered close by, and notwith- 
standing McClellan's savage order against taking anything, 
in a short time that field had npon it, almost a man to a hill 
of potatoes. It did not take long to dig that field. Our an- 
ticipations of a day of rest, with a vegetable diet, were dis- 
appointed. The bugles sounded "Strike tents," and we 
were soon on our way on the road over South Mountain. 

At this time fortune favored " Little Mac." Gen. Lee's 
2:)lan of campaign fell into his hands, and he was fully in- 
formed as to the purposes of the Confederates. Some generals 
would have made good use of this important knowledge, but 
It did the Union commander but little good. This general 
order of Lee directed one of his corps to take Harper's Ferry. 
I think the common sense of most peo]Dle would have said, 
" Now you concentrate your army and fight and destroy 
Lee's two-thirds, before he can concentrate. " If that would 
have been good strateg)'', McClellan did not use it. 

We had an uphill march out of Frederick. Having gained 
the crest of the first range of hills, we halted, and our regi- 
ment was deployed on a picket line, AVhile lying about 
w aiting for something to turn up, we discovered a farm house 
to the front, and sent several of the men to see what could be 
purchased for the table. In a short time they returned with 
milk and soft bread. Porter E. Whitney of my company 
was one of them, and he expressed his contempt for their 
simplicity iu not charging more than they did for the amount 
furnished. 



56 

AVhile we were preparing to cook our foraged potatoes and 
eat the provision from the farm house, we noticed the move- 
ment of troops in line of battle moving up the mountain side 
ahead of us. Batteries went into position and opened fire, 
then our men would make a rush, and take and hold an ad- 
A'ance position. Then the artillery would follow, and shell 
the enemy from the adviinced position. We had a fair 
view of this battle of South Mountain, which was regarded 
as a brilliant affair. It was fought I believe, under the im- 
mediate direction of General Reno, who was here killed. 
While we were thus safely viewing this battle, nnd watching 
the potatoes boil, Lieut. Keech made a remark that amused 
me, and has remained fresh in my memory. We were just 
ready to squat around the camx)fire and lay to, when he said, 
" Well boys, weMl have one more belly full anyway.'' Just 
about as he finished that sentence, the order came " fall in 
and march.'' I took my cup of boiled potatoes and carried 
them in it until we halted at the foot of the mountain about 
9 o'clock in the evening, when I ate them in the dark, rolled 
up in my blanket and went sweetly to sleep. 

Monday, the 14th, we were up in good season, and started 
np the mountain. We advanced in line of battle and fre- 
quently halted for the skirmishers to advance, but we met with 
no opposition, and soon were on the top of the ridge. We 
passed several field hospital stations, where operations had 
been performed, and where had been left numerous legs and 
arms that had been amutated. These sights are not refresh- 
ing to advancing troops — the}^ make them think too much 
of wh it is likely to happen to any one of them. As we were 
about to go down the other side of the mountain, a battery 
of our flying artillery went by on a canter, and we followed 
after them on the ''double quick." Having got down to 
level ground we soon passed through Boonsborough. Our 
brigade was in advance this day, and we were close on the 
rear of the enemy and saw the last of him go over the hill 
ahead of us. At the time we did not know that we were on 
the banks of the — to be — celebrated Antietam. AVe followed 
the Boonsborough road nearly to the river. At this point 
the shore on our side .vas linad by a ridge twenty to thirty 



57 

feet in heiglit. We tarned to the right and deployed part 
way down the rise of gi-ound back from the river. At lirst 
onr light artillery took position in front of us on the crest of 
the hill. By the next day these light guns were replaced 
by twenty pounders. Most of the time we were in this place 
artillery firing Avas going on between these guns and those 
of the enemy bearing on them. But little damage was done 
to us as the shells of the enemy went over us. About mid- 
night of this Monday we were aroused and directed to march 
Avith our arms, and to leave everything else but our canteens, 
and to be careful to make no noise. 

Lieut. Col. Nelson A. Miles commanded the expedition. 
We went through the fields to the left of the Boonsborough 
road, then aimed for the river. "When we came to the bank 
wdiich was high and steep, we worked our way down to the 
level of the road, entered it and crossed the bridge, which 
was a single arched stone bridge. We then carefully ad- 
vanced some distance along the road, met nothing, turned — 
back and made our way into camp. At the time the boys 
were confident the enemy had again gone on. 

Tuesday, the IGth, we remained in the same place. There 
was much firing by the heavy battery in front of us, which 
Avas well replied to. A rebel shell went through the body of 
Col. Miles' s horse. After dark we were moved to the right 
and near by the ford, which we crossed the next morning. 

The morning of the 17th opened somewhat hazy. By 8 
o'clock the artillery firing was heavy and Hooker was making 
his attack on the right. From where we stood we saw the 
effect of the artillery. Buildings were set on fire by our 
shells, and the air was full from their broken fragments. AVhile 
we were in this place a rumor started down the line that we 
had been detailed as body guard to McClellan. This com- 
forting statement did not last long, as, in a little while we were 
ordered to move. We forded the river, which in places was 
a foot deep. On the other side we halted, took off our shoes 
and stockings, wrung the loose water out of them, and put 
them on again. ' I cannot, of course, give the direction of 
our march. Col. Barlow had under his command, besides 
his own regiment, the Sixty- fourth New York, which had 



f)8 

about two hunclred men — giving him a force of about three 
hundred and fifty. 

I remember in making our advance tlu'ough the fields we 
came to a depression through which the bullets were Hying 
briskly. It was not a wide piece and we passed it with live- 
ly steps. Now in front of us the ground rose gradually into 
quite a hill, and rather to our right the Irish biigade was 
deployed and was engaged. We moved up a ways and form- 
ed in line of battle. Where I came a solitarj^ tree was near 
by. Quite a way to the front and to our left was a good 
sized tree heavily leaved. Out of that tree soon came rilie 
shots and our men Avere beginning to show wounds. Capt. 
Angell, who w^as a ver}^ good officer had told his friends that 
he knew he would be killed in this fight. I was within a few 
feet of him when he dropj)ed with a bullet through his head. 
Barlow called out for half a dozen good marksmen to clean 
out that tree. Among the number to respond to this call was 
W. H, Brookins of company G. The boys fired rapidlj' into 
the tree and in a brief time two Confederate gentlemen drop- 
ped to the ground, whether dead or alive I do not know, but 
we had no more trouble from that source. 

In the meantime the fight of the Iiish brigade had come to 
be very hot. They were in our plain sight and we could see 
them drop and their line thin out. The flags would go down 
but be caught up, and down again they would go. This we 
saw repeated in each regiment a number of times. While 
this was going on, Gen. Meagher called out to Barlow, 
"Colonel! For God's sake come and help me!" Barlow re- 
jDlied that he was awaiting orders, and would come to him as 
soon as he could. The musketry fire in front of us had now 
mostly ceased, in consequence of the destruction of the Irish 
brigade. Finally, orders to advance came to ns, and we went 
forward with a rush. Barlow in the lead, with his sword in the 
air. We crossed a fence, and came up a little to the left of the 
ground just occupied by the Irishmen. Our appearance re- 
newed the fire of the enemy. 

As we got a view of the situation it was seen that the rebels 
were in a sunken road, having sides about four feet in height ; 
this formed for them a natural barricade. Barlow, Avith the eye 



, 59 

of a niilitnry genius (vvliich lie was) at once solved the problem. 
Instead of halting his men where Meagher had, he rushed 
forward half the distance to the rebel line, halted and at 
once opened fire. We were so near to the eneiu}^, that, 
when they showed their heads to fire, they were liable to be 
knocked over. It did not take them long to discover this, 
and for the most part, they hugged the hither bank of this 
sunken road. Barlow discovered that by moving his men to 
the left and a little forward he could rake the position of the 
Confederates. This he did, and our firing was resumed with 
vigor. The result was terrible to the enemy. They could do 
us little harm, and we were shooting them like sheep in a pen. 
If a bullet missed the mark at the first it was liable to strike 
the further bank, and angle back, and take them secondari- 
ly, so to speak. In a few minutes white rags were hoisted 
along the rebel line. The officers ordered "cease firing," but 
the men were slow of hearing, and it was necessarj' for the 
officers to get in front of the men and throw up their guns. 

Finally the firing ceased, then Barlow ordered the men 
forward. They advanced on a run, and when they came to 
the bank of the sunken road, thej^ Jumped the rebels to the 
rear. Those able to move were glad to get out of this pit of 
destruction. Over three hundred were taken, who were able 
to march to the reai\ 

The dead and wounded were a horrible sight to behold. 
This sunken road, named by some writers ''The Blood}" 
Lane," was a good many rods long, and, for most of the 
way, there were enough dead and badly wounded to touch 
one another as they lay side by side. As we found them in 
some cases, they were two and three deep. Perhajis a 
wounded man at the bottom, and a coi-pse or two piled over 
him. We at once took hold and straightened out matters 
the best we could, and made our foes as comfortable as the 
means at haud afforded — that is, we laid them so that they were 
only one deep, and we gave theui drink from our canteens. 
After some time spent in this way, a body of the enemy was 
discovered deployed to our right. Barlow at once formed the 
command nearly at right angles to the position we had just 
held, and advanced us. We passed a fence, and soon open- 



60 

ed fire on this new force. In the meantime the enemy had 
l^laced a part of a battery in position that began to rake onr 
line witli canister. Cliarges of this deadly stuff went in front 
and in the rear of our line. Some of those discharges, if 
they had happened to go a little further to the front or the 
rear, would have destroyed our two little regiments. Such 
close calls often happen in battle. We held our ground, and 
after a while the rebels lied from the field. One of them was 
considerably in the rear of his comrades and as he was exerting 
himself to get out of harms way, our men concentrated a tire 
on him. He was on plowed ground, and we could see the 
dirt fly up in front, and rear, and on each side of him as he 
was legging it. He was escaping wonderfully, and I felt as 
though he was entitled to succeed; I called out to our men 
and entreated them not to tire at him agian, but without 
avail. The shooting went on, and, just before he was out of 
range, down he went, killed f)erhaps, possibly wounded. 

About this time Col. Barlow was dangerously wounded 
from a canister shot, and Miles took charge of our affairs. The 
tiring had again quieted. He directed me to take two men 
and go forward, part way through the corn tield in front, and 
watch and report any appearance of the enemy. If I am not 
mistaken, I took Porter E. Whitney and George Jacobs of 
my company. We went forward half way through the corn 
tield, which was for the most part trampled down. We ar- 
ranged the broken stalks so as to be partially concealed. 
After a time to our front and right, and on the brow of a 
considerable rise of ground, a body of ofl[icers appeared on 
horseback, and with glasses took observations. We discuss- 
ed the propriety of aiming at these Confederates and giving 
them a volley. I tinally concluded it was best not to take 
this responsibility, as it might bring on an attack that we 
were not ready for. In a short time these men disappeared. 
I sent back one of the men to report what we had seen. Very 
soon he came back with the word to join the regiment. Long- 
street in his book entitled " From Bull Run to Appomatox,'' 
speaks of looking the field over about this time and from 
near this location, so, I judge, it was he and his staff that we 
had such a i)lain view of. 



61 

Our command under Miles, was, about o p. m., drawn 
back and established just in rear of where we made our lirst 
fight. Our Division General, Richardson, was this day 
mortally wounded. He had the entire confidence of his men, 
as a brave and skillful soldier, and his taking off was deeply 
lamented. Barlow Avas supposed to be mortally wounded, 
but he recovered, and in a few months came back a brigadier, 
and was given a brigade in Howard's Eleventh Coi'ps. 

Gen. Hancock was assigned to our division. By this time 
he had Avon the reputation of being a hard fighter, and this 
he justly held through the remainder of the war. 

In this battle I had a hand in an amusing incident that is 
worth recording. There was in company A, a little Irishman 
about 40 years of age by the name of Barney Rogers. This 
man had been recruited b}^ our New York party the spring- 
before. He did not write, and, knowing me from the first, 
had come to me to do his correspondence. When we started 
to take the place of the Irish brigade, I ijoticed that Barney 
appeared to be holding up his pants, but I made no inquiry 
as to the reason for his so doing. When we took our first 
position in advance of where the Irishmen had fought, and 
began firing, Barney had to use both hands, and his predica- 
ment was at once revealed. He had held up his pants by a 
strap around his waist without suspenders. This strap had 
given out, and that accounted for his holding up i)erform- 
ance. When he began loading and filing he had to '' let go" 
and leave the pants to follow the law of gravitation. Soon 
his ankles were swathed with these low down breeches, and 
he was effectually teddered. I was here and there, doing my 
duty as a sergeant. 1 had not noticed Barney's predicament 
till he called to me in a tone of urgency and said, " Charley, 
cut the damned things off!" I took in the situation in an 
instant, and in less time than I can write it, jerked out my 
large knife, opened it, grabbed the waistband, made a pass or 
two, and one leg was free, I said, *' You can kick the other 
leg out." He made a few passes, and from the top of his 
stockings up his legs were bare. A good breeze was blow- 
ing sufficient to take away the smoke from our guns, 
and sufficient to ffap his uuconfined shirt tail. I remember 



62 

cilling Ike Plumb's attention to it and ovir li.iving a good 
langli over it. Barney continued his fighting, and was with 
tlie men in the gi"and charge that captured the rebels in the 
sunken roMd. lie was also in liis place in the second attack 
we made. While the firing was at the hottest I heard a man 
cr}' out, and I looked just in time to see Barney throw his 
gun, and start oft' on his hands and one leg — the other leg 
hehl uj). The last I ever saw of him he was pawing off in 
tliat fashion. I suspected tliat in some way he had got a shot 
in the foot. Years after this occurance, I wrote a series of 
articles for The Siikkbuknk News, and in one of them gave 
this account. As soon as the x)aper waa out, my comrade, 
Porter E. Whitney came into my office. He was in this battle 
and, I supposed, he knew about this affair. He had read the 
account, and I said to him, "Of course, you remember it?" 
To my chagrin, he replied, "That is the first I ever heard of 
it!'' I said to him, "That will leave me in a fine situation, 
people will ask you if you remember the Barney Kogers in- 
cident, and you will say, "No," and the enquirers will con- 
clude that I have been telling a "Jim Tanner yarn."' " Well," 
he replied, " I can't remember what I never before heard of." 

Some days after this, Whitney can)e to me and asked if I 
knew Barney Rogers's address. I said, "No." He told me 
it was in lh>^ roster lately published by the regimental asso- 
ciation. I found it and at once wrote to tlie address, and 
b.'ieliy in [ lirjd if li3 was tha little Biraey R,)g.irs th:it I cut 
the breeches off from at Anteitam. In a few days I got a 
letter from Barney written by his son, in which was the 
statement, " I am he." It went on' to say that he was hit 
nnder the big toe by a bullet that had probably gone inta 
the ground, struck a stone and glanced up, taking him as in- 
dicated. He said that he went ofl' the field in the way I have 
described, until he was out of danger, and then hopped along 
as best he could. Finally, a soldier from a Connecticut regi- 
ment met him, who had an extra pair of pants, which he 
gave to Barney. He g"ot inside of them as speedily as possi- 
ble, and then waited for an ambulance, when he was taken 
to a liosi:»ital, and final h^ discharged. 

In this battle our flag was shot through a good many time* 



63 

and the .staff had a bullet go through its center jnst above 
the hands of Sergt. Hugh Montgomery, who was carrying it. 
All through the 18th we remained in position, hugging the 
ground. The picket lines of the two armies were near to- 
gether, and were blazing away at one another on every op- 
portuity. Our line of battle was so near to the picket line 
that anyone showing himself would be fired on. One of my 
company, Julius C. Kelsey of Smyrna, was killed while on 
this duty. The Sixty-first lost in killed and wounded about 
one-t-hird of its number, and so was again reduced to the size 
of a full company. 

Some one discovered on the 19th for "Little Mac," the 
" Young Napolean" that the enemy had, during the night, 
fallen back and crossed the Potomac at Shepardstown. If 
the commander of the Army of the Potomac had been a brave 
and competent general, he wonld have disposed of Lee at 
this time. As I have before stated, McClellan knew while 
we were at Frederick that Lee was to divide his army, send- 
ing a third of it to take Harpers Ferry. He onght to have 
known when we overtook Lee at Sharpsburg that he had but 
part of his army there, and he ought, with his entire force, 
to have made a rushing attack at once. In place of that, he 
da.wdled for two days, giving Lee all the time he wanted to 
take Harpers Ferrj' from the old, incompetent Miles, and to 
unite his army to light him. There was good brave lighting 
at Antietani, bat it was by piece meal — a division or corps 
here and a division or corps somewhere else. The best work 
done that day by Caldwell's brigade, was by the Fifth New 
Hampshire under its able colonel, Edward Cross, and by the 
Sixty-lirst and Sixty-fourth New York under Col. Bailow. 
In supi^ort of this statement all authorities agree. McClelhin 
in his report says, "The brigade of Gen. Caldwell, with de- 
termined gallantry, pushed the enemy back opposite the left 
and center of this (French's) division, but, sheltered in the 
sunken road, they still held our forces on the riglit of Cald- 
well in check. Col. Barlow commanding the Sixty-lirst and 
Sixty-fourth New York regiments, advanced the regiments 
on the left, taking the line in the sunken road in Hank, and 
compelled them to surrender, capturing over three hundred 



64 

imsoners and three stands of colors.^ ^ .^Another column of 
the enemy, advancing under shelter of a stone wall and corn- 
tield, pressed down on the rio-ht of the division; but Col. Bar- 
low again advanced the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New 
York against these troops, and, with the attack of Kimball's 
l)rigade on the right, drove them from this position. Our 
troops on the left of this part of the line having driven the 
enemy far back, they, with reinforced numbers, made a de- 
termined attack directly in front. To meet, this Col. Bar- 
low brought his two regiments to their position in line, and 
drove the enemy through the cornfield into the orchard be- 
yond, under a heavy fire of musketry and a lire of canis- 
ter from two field j)ieces in the orchard and a battery farther 
to the right, throwing shell and case shot/' Vol. 19, Series 
1, Off. Records, images 60- 61. 

Palfrey, in "The iVntietam and Fredericksburg," at page 
100, says, "Col. Barlow particularly distinguished himself in 
these operations of Richardson's division. He had under 
liis charg^ the two right regiments of Caldwell's brigade, the 
Sixty-first and Sixty -fourth New York. As CaldwelTs line 
was forcing its \\ay forward, he saw a chance and improved 
it. Changing front forward, he captured some three hun- 
dred x)risoners in the sunken road to his right, with two 
colors. He gained this advantage by obtaining an entlad- 
ing fire on the Confederates in the road, and it seems to 
have been owing entirely to his own quickness of percep- 
tion and promptness of action, and not to the orders of anj'- 
suiDerior officer. He was also favorably mentioned for his 
action in helping to repel another attemx^t of the lines to 
Hank Caldwell on his right, and also foi- contributing large- 
ly to the success of the advance, which finally gave the Fed- 
erals possession of Piper's House." 

Walker in history of the Second Corps at page 114 says 
" As the line presses onward toward Piper's, Barlow, com- 
manding the consolidated Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New 
York, sees, and at once siezes a tactical opportunity. Chang- 
ing front forward at the right moment and on the right 
spot he takes in Hank a body of the enemy in the sunken 
road, pours a deadly volley down their line and puts themi 



65 

to flight, capturing three hundred prisoners with two flags. 
A determined struggle follows: the enemy even assume the ag- 
gressive against Caldwell's center, but are beaten off by the quick 
and resolute action of Barlow, who falls desperately wounded." 
Longstreet in his Bull Run to Appamatox, at page 266, says, 
" The best tactical moves at Antietam were made by Generals 
McLaws, A. P. Hill, Gibbon, and Patrick (Confederate) and Colonels 
Barlow and Cross (Union)." At page 252 he refers to Barlow as 
the " aggressive spirit of Richardson's right column." 

Gen. Caldwell in his report, says, " The brigade advanced steadi- 
ly over the crest of the hill behind which the enemy were posted, 
receiving and returning a heavy fire. We broke the line of the 
enemy along our entire front, except on the extreme right. Here 
there was a deep road, forming a natural rifle pit, in which the 
enemy had posted himself, and from which he fired on our ad- 
vancing line. After the enemy opposed to my left and center had 
broken and fled through the cornfield. Col. Barlow by a skillfull 
change of front, partially enveloped the enemy on his right, and, 
after a destructive inflading fire, compelled them to surrender. 
About 300 men and eight commissioned officers, among them an 
aid to Gen. Stuart, were here taken prisoners by Col. Barlow * * 
* * * On the right. Col. Barlow, finding no enemy in his im- 
mediate front, saw a considerable force moving around his right. 
Moving by the right-oblique to a hill about three hundred^yards 
distant, he opened a severe fire upon them, when they broke and 
fled. Thus both attempts to turn our flanks had been foiled by 
the skill and quickness, of Colonels Barlow and Cross, and the de- 
termined bravery of the men * * * * I cannot forbear to men- 
tion in terms of highest praise the part taken by Col. Barlow of 
the Sixty-first New York volunteers. Whatever praise is due to 
the most distinguished bravery, the utmost coolness and quick- 
ness of perception, the greatest promptitude and skill in handling 
troops under fire, is justly due to him. It is but simple justice to 
say that he proved himself fully equal to every emergency, and 
I have no doubt that he would discharge the duties of a much 
higher command with honor to himself and benefit to the coun- 
try." 

Barlow's own report is as follows: 



66 

General Hospital, Keedysville, Md., Sept. 22, 1862. 

Captain : I have the honor to make the following 
report of the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth New Yorlc 
volunteers in the battle of Sept. 17th inst. Both these 
regiments were under my command on that day, and 
had been for some time previous. On going into ac- 
into action our bridage was formed on the left of the Irish brig- 
ade. We remained about fifteen minutes under the fire of the 
enemy's sharpshooters which ray sharpshooters returned with 
effect. I lost then Capt. Angell and one or two men killed. By 
order of the staff officer of Gen. Richardson, we then moved to the 
right, in front, and formed behind the crest of the hill, and brave- 
ly engaged the enemy and fired destructively. With the assist- 
ance of the fire of the regiments on our right and left, we broke 
the enemy on our front, who fled in disorder through a corn- 
field, suffering severely from the fire of our and the Irish brig- 
ade, my regiments being on the right of the brigade. 
The portion of the enemy's line which was not broken, then 
remained lying in a deep road, well protected from a fire in their 
front. Our position giving us peculiar advantages for attacking 
in flank this part of the enemy's line, my regiments advanced 
and obtained an enflading fire upon the enemy in the aforesaid 
road. Seeing the uselessness of further resistance, the enemy in 
accordance with our demands threw down their arms, eame in in 
large numbers and surrendered. Upwards of three hundred pris- 
oners thus taken by my regiments were sent to the rear with a 
guard of my regiment, under charge of Lieut. Alvard of Gen. 
Caldwell's staff. On this occasion my own regiment, the Sixty- 
first New York, took two of the enemy's battle flags, which have 
been forwarded to Corps headquarters. A third flag was captured 
by the Sixty-fourth New York, which was lost by the subsequent 
shooting of the captor when away from his regiment. 

" After these events, my regiments, with the rest of our line, 
advanced into the cornfield, through Avhich the enemy had fled, 
beyond the deep road above referred to. No enemy appeared in 
this field. Our troops were joined together without much order — 
several regiments in front of others, and none in my neighbor- 
hood having very favorable opportunities to use their fire. See- 



67 

ing quite a body of the enemy moving briskly to the right of our 
line, at no great distance, to attack us on the flank, my regiment 
changed front and moved to the crest of a hill on our right Hank, oc- 
cupying the only position where I found we could use our fire to ad- 
vantage. This was to the right of the Fifty-second New 
York of Col. Brook's brigade. We engaged several regiments of 
the enemy with effect, soin» being posted on the edge of a corn- 
field behind a stone wall surmounted by a fence; others were 
posted still farther to tlie right, on the edge of the cornfield. The 
enemy at length retreated quite precipitately under the fire of the 
troops on our side, together with another body of Federal troops, 
which attacked tlie enemj'' in turn on their flank and rear. 
I am unable to state who these last named troops were.. On re- 
tiring from this position, the enem}' renewed their attack on our 
old front. My regiments again changed front, and advanced in- 
to the cornfield, which we had left, to assist in repelling the flank 
attack of the enemy just mentioned. Beyond this cornfield was 
an orchard, in which the enemy had artillery (two pieces to the 
best of my knowledge.) From these pieces, and from others still 
farther to our right, they had been pouring a destructive fire of 
shell, grape and spherical case shot during the above mentioned 
engagement of our infantry. 

" After thus forming our line on the right of the Fifty-seventh 
New York of Col. Brooke's brigade, I was wounded in the groin 
by a ball from a spherical case shot, and know nothing of what 
subsequently occurred. My own regiment, the Sixty-first New 
York, behaved with the same fortitude and heroism, and showed 
the same perfect discipline and obedience to orders under trying 
circumstances for which I have before commended them, and 
which causes me to think of thom with the deepest affection and 
admiration. The Sixty-fourth behaved steadily and bravely. 
Of the oflicers in my own regiment, I commend to special notice 
for bravery, coolness, and every soldierly quality in action, Capt. 
Walter H. Maze, Co. A; First Lieut. Willard Keech,Co. G; Second 
Lieut. Theo. N. Greig, Co. C; Second Lieut. F. W. Grannis, Co. 
B; Lieut. Col. Nelson A. Miles has been distinguished for his ad- 
mirable conduct in many battles. The voice of everyone who saw 
him in this action will commend better than I can his courage, his 



68 

quickness, his skill in seeing favorable positions and the power of 
his determined spirit in leading on and inspiring the men. I 
have the honor to be, Captain, your very obedient servant, 

Francis C. Barlow, 
Col. 61st. N. Y. Vols, and Comdg, 64th N. Y. A'ols. 

Capt. George H. Caldwell, 

Capt. and Asst. Adj. Gen., Caldwell's Brigade. 

The report of General Miles is as follows: 

Headquarters Sixty-first Regt. New York Vols. 

Camp near Sharpsburg, Sept. 19, 1862. 

" I have the honor to transmit the following report: On 
the 17th inst., about 9 o'clock the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth 
N. Y. Vol., under command of Col. Barlow, w^ere ordered to 
form on the left of the Irish brigade while they were engag- 
ing the enemy. We remained there about twenty 
minutes, during which time we lost one captain and several 
men. We were then ordered to move by the right flank in 
rear of the Irish brigade until we came to their right. Here 
we came to the front, and moved up and over the hill under 
a heavy fire of musketry and a cross fire of artillery. We 
found the enemy lying in a road or ditch just under the brow 
of the hill. The regiment, however, steadily moved up and 
over the hill m the most determined manner and spirit, break- 
ing the center of the enemy's line and killing or w^ounding 
nearly all that left the ditch to make their escape through the 
cornfield. Then we improved the advantage we had gained 
by changing front forward on first company, thereby flanking 
the rest of their line. The Colonel gave the command, 
" Cease firing," when I called out to them to surrender. They 
at once threw down their arms and came in. I think by this 
movement we captured two hundred and seventy -five or three 
hundred prisoners. I detailed one company to guard them 
and turned them over to Lieut. Alvord, with two stand of 
colors. 

The enemy were then out of sight in the front, but were 
discovered moving around our right. The Colonel then gave 
the order " Right shoulder, shift arms," and moved to the 
right oblique to another hill about 300 yards distant, 
and commenced firing to the right upon the enemy. He fired 



69 

about twenty rounds here, when the enemy's line broke in 
perfect disorder, and ran in every direction. About tliis time 
a sharp musketry Hre commenced on our left, or old front, 
it being evident they were advancing another line tln-oiigh 
the cornfield. As we were of no more use in our present 
position, we went to the assistance of the other regiments of 
our brigade. We had so much changed the front that we 
moved by the left flank and filed left, connecting our left on 
the right of the Seventieth New York, and moved again down 
through the cornfield. We then pressed forward, driving 
the enemy before us, until the order was given to halt. I 
immediately deployed skirmishers forward through the field 
to an orchard. While moving through the cornfield, the 
enemy opened fire with grape and canister from two brass 
guns on our front, and shell from a battery on our right. It 
was by this fire that Col. Barlow fell, dangerously wounded. 
He was struck by a small piece of shell in the face, and a 
grape-shot in the groin. Thus far he had handled the two 
regiments in the most brave and skillful manner. As we had 
advanced further than the other regiments on our right and 
left, I was ordered to let the skirmishers remain and form in 
the open field on a line with Col. Brooks's regiment, which 
position we held until relieved by one of that brigade, when 
I marched them to the left of the line, and formed on a line 
with the Eighty-first Penn., and was not engaged again dur- 
ing the day. 

I cannot speak in too high terms of the coolness and brave 
spirit with which both ofllcers and men fought on that day. 
Col, Barlow on this, as on other occasions, displayed quali- 
ties for handling troops under fire which are not often met. 
Capt. Maze, Lieut. W. Keech, liieut. Grannis and Lieut. T. 
W. Greig were noticed as behaving in the most excellent 
manner— also Dr. Tompkins, who followed the regiment upon 
the field and rendered prompt assistance to the wounded. 
Nelson A. Miles, Lieut., Col comdg. Sixty-first 
and Sixty-fourth New York Vols." 

Gen. Meagher's report of the operations of the Irish brig- 
ade does not place his men any nearer the enemy than they 
were when they were relieved by Barlow with the Sixty-first 
and Sixty -fourth New York. 



70 

In 1897 Capt. Lee Nutting of the Sixty-first N. Y., publish- 
ed an article in the New York " Sun," in which he modestly 
related the doings of Barlow's command at Antietam. His 
article called out the following: . 

To the Editor of the Sun— Sir: 

" Without any dispargement of the Sixty-first New York 
comrades in our own Red Trefoil Division, allow me to sug- 
gest to your enthusiastic correspondent " L. N." that " there 
were others." Nor was the First Minnesota superiraminent- 
ly distinguished excei)t at Gettysbusg. It was usually on pro- 
vost duty. Gen. Walker had his preferences, but others of 
higher rank did not always agree with him. Sumner, Hancock, 
Richardson, Caldwell, Humphreys, and Symth thought the 
Irish brigade did pretty well. Their showing is quite resj^ect- 
able in Fox's " 300 Fighting Regiments." So did the enemy, 
and the opinion of the London Times correspondent from 
Fredericksburg is quoted in the history studied in our public 
schools (in Barnes's), while their charge at Antietam was 
specially mentioned by McClellan. 

"By the way, the flags "captured" there by Barlow had 
already been marched over, with a lot of dead rebels, by the 
Eighty-eighth New York, who were too busy fighting to stop 
to pick tlieui up. Miles was always a glorious fellow. Barlow 
did not like us, and once, under a mistake, joyfullj'^ exclaim- 
ed, "Thatd d Irish brigade has broken at last!" to be 

corrected by Col. Smyth of the Sixty-ninth, who told him 
they had captured the enemy's works and he had come for 
farther orders. (Signed) Irish Brigade. 

The above makes quite a spicy newspaper article, but it 
does not read like history, and it Is Not history. Where 
and on what occasion did Francis C. Barlow ever manifest 
•'joy " that the Irish, or any Union brigade "broke" when 
engaging the enemy! To my mind the statement is the equiva- 
lent of charging treason to one of the bravest fighters in the 
Union armies. And, according to this defender of 
the reputation of the Irish brigade, Barlow wa» 
thus filled with joy over what he believed to 
be the defeat of the Irish brigade "because he didn^t 
like us." The above yarn is too idiotic to need replying to. 



71 

No sane j-teison can believe a word of it. Except ns evei-y ad- 
vance of troops may be said to be a "charge" the Irish brigade 
made no " charge" at Antietam, and McClellan in his report, 
dated Aug. 4th, 1868, covering the Antietam campaign, does 
not refer to any "charge" made by the Irish brigade in that 
battle. In this report (page 59, Series 1, Vol. 19) he says, 
" Meagher's brigade, advancing steadily, soon became en- 
gaged with the enemy posted to the left and in front of Roiil- 
ett's house. It continued to advance under a heavy fire 
nearly to the crest of the hill overlooking Piper's house, the 
enemy being posted in a continuation of the sunken road and 
corn-field before referred to. Here the brave Irish brigade 
opened upon the enemy a terrific musketry fire. All of 
Gen. Sumner's corps was now engaged — Gen. Sedgwick on the 
right, Gen. French in the center, and Gen. Richardson on 
the left. The Irish brigade sustained its well earned reputa- 
tion. After suffering terribly in officers and men, and strew- 
ing the ground with their enemies as they drove them back, 
their ammunition nearly exhausted, and their commander, 
Gen. Meagher, disabled from the fall of his horse shot under 
him, this brigade Avas ordered to give place to Gen. Cald- 
well's-" 

Now, I say from personal observation that the Irish brigade 
was never farther in advance than the position it occupied 
when it was relieved by the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth N. Y., 
that the Irish brigade did not, up to the time it was so reliev- 
ed, pass over any ground that, had been occupied by the 
enemy and on which they had left any of their battle Hags. 
The battle fiags captured by the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth 
New York were taken from the sunken road. No one ever 
heard me say a word in derogation of the bravery of the Irish 
brigade. It was manifested at Antietam, and on a score of 
other battlefields. The glorious history of the second corps 
could not be written with its deeds left out. . The Irish brig- 
ade stood in its tracks and took its terrible punishment at 
Antietam as heorically as did anything of Wellington's at 
Waterloo. Having said all this, the fact remains the brigade 
was Not tactically well placed. Had it advanced to where 
the Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth later went, it would have 



72 

done much greater execution, and with smaller loss to itself. 
The action of Barlow at Antietam proved beyond question 
his exceptional military ability. 

On my way home after Gettysburg, I spent one night in 
the Citizens' hospital in Philadelphia. My cot ,was next to 
a Pennsylvanian's, who had lost a leg at Chancellorsville. 
AA^lien he learned I was of Barlow's regiment, hetold me that 
about the finest sight he ever saw on the battlefield was see- 
ing Barlow lead his command into action at Antietam. He 
was where he had a full view of the display. The regiments 
were in line of battle, and he, with sabre in hand, was ahead 
of the line. Such is the plain fact, as all who were there can 
testify. 

On the 19th of September, Gen. McClellan was informed that 
during the night Lee had pulled out, and placed the Potomac 
between him and us. The Army of Northern Virginia crossed 
the river at Shepardstown. Thus ended their proud invasion 
of Northern States. 

We remained in our position for a number of days, bury- 
ing the dead, picking up the fragments, and getting ourselves 
together. The after view of a battle field is a horrible sight 
— wreck, ruin and devastation are on all sides; fences remov- 
ed, buildings more or less torn and demolished, wagons 
smashed, arms scattered about, artillery disabled, horses and 
mules piled up and swollen almost beyond recognition. All 
this shows the havoc of battle, but the sight that appals is 
the human dead. Dead, dying, and Avoanded in various 
ways. The spectator must callous his heart, or, if fairly 
human, he will be overwhelmed. There were places on this 
battlefield where the ground was literally strewn with those 
"beyond the fighting," swollen, grimy, unnatural, in all 
sorts of situations and positions. On the fence next to the 
cornfield, and just beyond the sunken road, were a number 
of Confederates hanging over the top rail, shot dead while 
trying to pass it. There they huntr, like bundles of old clothes 
over a line. 

" Gen. McClellan reported that he lost on the IGthand 17th 
2,010 killed, 9,41G wounded and 1,048 missing— a total of 
12,469. * ;• ^- * -" McClellan reported that 2,700 of the- 



n 

Confederate dead were counted and bnried by his officers, 
and that a portion had been previously buried by their com- 
rades." (The Antietani and Fredericksburg, Palfry, page 
127.) Doubtless the killed, wounded and missing of the two 
armies would aggregate 25,000. The Second corps was the 
heaviest loser on the Union side, its casualties amounting to 
6,138. OValker 120) 

On the 221 of September the army moved, the Second corps 
headed for Harpers Ferry, a distance of ten or twelve miles. 
We forded the Potomac just above the destroyed railroad 
bridge, and came to land opposite the ruins of the United States 
Armor}'. We went through the town and formed camp on 
Bolivar Heights. The time spent at this j)lace was the soft 
kind of soldering. Supplies were abundant. Drill, guard, 
picket and police duties were light, and we all had a thorough- 
ly good time. The scenery hereabouts is grand. Maryland, 
London and Boliver Heights come together, and from the 
tops of their heights to the river level is hundreds of feet. 
The passes worn by the Shenandoah and Potomac are through 
the solid rock and the gorges are very deep and rugged. 

Our picket line was a mile or two out toward Charlestown, 
AVhile on one of these picketing details, while the first relief 
was on, Frank Garland suggested that, if possible, we slip 
through the line, go to the front and see if we couln't pick 
np something good to eat. We succeeded in passing the 
pickets and pointed for a farm house a half mile ahead. For 
a time no one responded to our knocks and helloes. At last 
a plump, red cheeked modest girl, of perhaps sixteen, appear- 
ed. We enquired for apples and told her if she would iill 
our haversacks, we would be glad to pay for them. She took 
them and soon returned with them tilled with eatable apples. 
We paid her the price charged and started back. We ad- 
mitted to one another that it was not a prudent act and wouhl 
go hard with us if we should be picked up. On our way back 
Garland glanced to the left, and said, " There's reb cavalry!" 
I looked, and there, perhaps an eighth of a mile away, was a 
squad of horsemen, coming on a canter toward us. We were 
near a substantial rail fence on the right, and for it we sprang 
with all our powers. We went over it like circus performers, 



74 

and put in our best strides for our line. I think it was Gar- 
land that first discovered that the "men on horseback" were 
negro farm hands. They had seen our lively retreat and ac- 
curately interpreted the cause, and they were with their 
mouths open as wide as their jaws would admit, haw-hawing 
near the point of splitting. On this discovery we slowed 
down, and sauntered toward our picket line as unconcerned 
as possible, but the pickets had seen the performance, and at 
first had been misled as we were. As we came in we propos- 
ed to go straight to the reserve where the detail from our 
regiment was. The officer in charge refused this and sent us 
under a guard of two men and a corporal to headquarters. 
We steered the corporal to the shelter tent of Capt. Bull and 
explained the situation to him. He took it in, and, with a 
large assumption of military dignity, informed the guard 
that he would relieve them of any further duty in the matter, 
and they could go back to the front. Garland and I were 
glad to divide our apples with Bull and the others who knew 
of our adventure. It was one of the w^orst scares I had in the 
service, and cured me of any attempt at foraging outside the 
lines. 

Gen. Walker says, "The only episode which interruped 
the pleasant monotone of rest and equipment, after the 
fatigues of the Manassas and Antietam campaigns, was a re- 
connoissance conducted by Gen. Hancock with the first divi- 
sion Oct. 16th down the valley to Charlestown, with the view 
to discovering whether the enemy were there in force." We 
met a battery supported by cavalry, which fell back as we 
advanced. The captain of this battery was B. H. Smith, Jr. 
and was wounded. We found him in a house at Charlestown 
with a foot amputated. We spent the night in Charlestown, 
and while there many of the boys visited the tree where John 
Brown had his taking off Dec. 2, 18.'59. 

On the 25th of October, I wrote a letter home from which 
I quote, "The whole regiment cannot turn out over 50 or 60 
charter members. I will give you a list of Co. "C," which 
left Hamilton but little over one year ago full of hope and great 
expectation. Today we have present Capt. Broady, broken 
in mind and body by hardship and disease; Serg. Isaac Plumb, 



75 

well and in good spirits; Serg. C. A. Fuller, ditto; Serg. D. 
W. Skinner, suflFering from old wound, and who will be dis- 
charged; Portner E. Whitney, pioneer, good soldier; George 
Jacobs, i^rivate, cooking for the company; Junuis Gaskell, 
sick most of the time; Charles Richards, paroled prisoner, 
sees no duty; Freeman Allen has a bad leg; Rufus Riindell, 
in quartermaster's department — always has been; John Board- 
man, drummer. AVhere are the other 80? Some 10 or 11 kill- 
ed, three times that number wounded, 10 dead of disease, 8 
or 10 discharged, and the remainder sick in hospitals. Ike 
and myself are the only ones of that ninety odd, who have 
been in every engagement with the regiment, and he was not 
carrying a gun at Fair Oaks. Lieut. Keech is the only line 
officer who has been in all the regiment's battles. This may 
seem incredible, but it is nevertheless true — some would miss 
this battle and some that, and so, but one has missed none." 

On the 29th of October, 1862, our army broke camp and 
moved in the direction of Warrenton, which place we reach- 
ed on the 11th of November. In making this march the 
Sixty -iirst skirmished over the mountains at Snecker's Gap, 
driving back a body of calvary that was observing, if not 
holding this piosition. From the ridge of the mountain we 
had a view that in my judgment could not be equaled in 
Europe. 

While the army was at Warrenton the order came remov- 
ing McClellan and appointing Burnside. For one I was glad 
of any change — it seemed to be that no one could be more 
inefficient than McClellan. I remember so expressing myself 
which was not a popular notion. One old Irishman of Co. A, 
turned on me in hot anger, and asked, "Why do you say 
that? What do you know about war, you little damned pie 
eater!" 

In a few days we started out and reached Falmouth, a ham- 
let nearly opposite Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock 
river on the 17th of November. There were but a handful of 
rebels on the other side of the river. There was no attempt to 
ford it, and we went into camp, while Lee's army soon concen- 
trated about Fredericksburg. Our camp was located in the 
woods, which we partially cleared, converting the timber into 



76 

walls for our huts, which we covered with our shelter tent 
canvass. In a few days we had comfortable quarters. Part 
of the time the weather was quite cold. Snow was on the 
ground, and the brook that ran near by was more or less 
covered with ice. I remember going down to this brook one 
Sunday morning with Portner E. Whitney. We took off our 
clothing and had a bath in that ice cold water. We were in 
this camp for several weeks, and in it had first rate good 
times. Near to us was a Pennsylvania regiment, (I forget 
the number) in which a " revival of religion" prevailed. 
Meetings were held continuously and it was reported that 
many were converted. I think this regiment suffered severe- 
ly in the great slaughter of the 13th of December. 

Quite early in December indications multiplied that a move, 
ment was contemplated. Three days rations were ordered to 
be kept constantly in the haversacks. Charles Lowell, our 
hospital steward, told me that the surgeons had received or- 
ders to put in good condition the operating instruments, and 
frequent inspections made sure that enough ammunition was 
in the boxes. 

On Thursday, Dec. 11th, at 4 a. m., reveille beat, after roll 
call tlie men were told that they must be read j^ to break camp 
on short notice. At 6 a. m. the regiment formed on the color 
line, ready to move. While we were thus waiting, I was 
smoking my briarwood pipe, and, at what I supposed was 
the end of the smoke, I threw out the ashes and put the pipe 
in my breeches pocket. In a short time I was conscious of a 
change of temperature in that locality, and hastily brought 
to view the pocket and pipe. Doubtless some of the fire re- 
mained in the bowl, which got out and set fire to that part of 
my clothing. I had no trouble in extinguishing this ignition, 
bat the pocket was gone and my leg had a ra>v sjDot. 

At this time the Army of the Potomac was organized in 
three grand divisions as follows; Right Grand Division, 
Sumner's, embracing the Second and Ninth corps; Center 
Grand Division, Hooker's, Third and Fifth corps; Left Grand 
Division, Sixth and First corps. Gen. D. N. Couch com- 
manded the Second corps; Hancock the First Division, and 
Caldwell the First brigade of the corps. 



77 

While in this camp that we were about to leave I had the 
honor to be the object to which a brief utterance was directed 
by Gen. Hancock. I was then a sergeant, and had been or- 
dered to brig-ade liead(i[uarters with a squad of men for guard 
duty. On the day in question, Gen. Sumner reviewed his 
Grand Division. After the guard had got to its place, one of 
CaldwelFs staff came to me and said, "When the general 
comes along you will fall in your guard and present arms." 
I had some eight or ten men with me, and told those not on 
duty to be on hand to fall in when so ordered. Presently I 
heard a horse coming down the road on a sharp gallop, and 
soon saw that it was Gen. Hancock with a single orderly. 
Evidently he was not on the lookout for a little guard to sa- 
lute him, but Ifell in the men as brisklj^ as possible. The 
general noticed what I was doing, and had to wait a moment 
for the guard to present arms, which it did all right. Han- 
cock returned the compliment, and then said to me, "If you 
want to salute, sir! you must be a 'damned sight quicker' 
than this! " If I had dared to, I would have answered, 
" Don't you worry yourself, Winfield Scotty, I don't want to 
salute you, and wouldn't now, if I had not been ordered to.'' 

Of course I kept my mouth shut. It would have been bad 
policy to have exj)ressed my. sentiments. 

As I have stated, shortly after 6 a. m. our column started 
We made a roundabout march of a few miles and finally 
halted, under cover of high ground, nearly opposite the city 
of Fredericksburg. All this day a furious cannonade was 
maintained by our side, and from big guns mounted on the 
crest back of the river. The effort was to clean the enemy 
out from the neighborhood of the river bank, so that we 
could lay our pontoon bridges. This Avas not successful, and 
in the attempt to do this work our men were picked off, so 
that it was found to be impracticable. At length tlie Seventh 
Mich, and the 89th N. Y. were rushed into the poonton boats 
and rowed and poled over. Once on the other shore they 
drove away the sharpshooters, and the bridge at our front 
was then laid. We remained that night on the Falmouth 
side of the river. The next forenoon the Second corps cross- 
ed the river. Our division was marched along the side of the 



78 

river, to the lower end of the city, and then we stacked arms. 
Some of our men inspected the near by houses on their own 
motion, and from one they broutrht out a Jar of fresh tried 
lard. I had a chance at it and spread it on my hard tack, as 
I would butter at home. I have had my share of good butter 
and love it, but I never tasted bread greasing equal to that 
new lard. 

Towards night we were marched back to the site of the 
railroad bridge, and billited in the grist mill near said bridge. 
One of our men procured a duck, I w^as let into the mess, and 
in some way we cooked and disposed of it before rolling uj) 
in our blankets for a good night's rest. We turned out early 
the next morning, (the disastrous 13th) and after breakfast, 
lead by Col. Miles, we went through the city to the last 
street. Here our little regiment was deployed as a sort of 
picket line. To the front half or three-quarters of a mile ran 
the top of a line of hills, parallel to our street. Not so much 
as the crack of a pistol had broken the silence of the morn- 
ing. We lounged about, viewed from between the houses the 
supposed location of the enemy, went into the houses next 
to where we were posted, and helped ourselves. Not a sold- 
ier in gray was to be seen, save here and there a sentry watch- 
ing from the top of their earth works. One of our boys was 
inspecting the contents of the house of a doctor, I forget his 
name. Presently he called to me and inquired if I didn't 
want some books. I said "Yes." He tossed me from the 
window a fine volume of Byron's poems, and the two vol- 
umes of Dr. Kane's Arctic Explorations. I sat on the curb- 
ing looking over this plunder, when, all at once, a number of 
big guns went off, and very soon thereafter shot and shell 
came thundering through the houses, across our street, and 
into the houses behind us. I hurriedly dropped my spoils, , 
and made quick tracks for the other side of the street, where 
there was, perhaps, better protection. This artillery out- 
burst was due to the appearance of our troops, moving out of 
the city and towards the strong position of the enemy. 

In a few minutes Col. Miles assembled the Sixty-tirst and 
marched it back into the next street, where we stood in line 
ready for the word " Gro I" In this position nothing could 



79 

be seen, bnt tlip shots 'and shells of our adversaries came 
thick and dangerously near, though none were to my know- 
ledge effective. While Ave were here I noticed one of our re- 
cruits, a German, who was literally unnerved by fear. His 
countenance was distorted by terror, and he was shaking in 
every limb. I think it was impossible for him to march. I 
do not remember ever seeing him after that time. For my- 
self I confess that I never exerted more will power to make 
my legs move in the right direction than just here. Without 
pretending to have military judgment, as I viewed the in- 
trenched position of the Confederates, I said to myself, " we 
will fail to carry those heights." 

At length the order came to move, and the head of our col- 
umn started for the street that led to Marye's Hill. Turning 
into it we advanced rapidly. My recollection is, that as the 
road leaves the city, it makes a slight curve, and as we came 
to that spot the whole view was opened up to us. I know 
the road was littered with some dead, and cast off blankets 
and knapsacks. For a ways the road slightly descends, and 
then you come to a eonsiderable stream of some sort, it may 
be a waste weir, from the Falmouth dam. This stream was 
bridged, and a part, if not all, of the flooring of it had been 
removed. I remember we, partially at least, crossed on the 
stringers. At this point the enemy concentrated a hot artil- 
lery fire. I think the Sixty-first got over withoutmiich dam- 
age, but the head of the regiment following took in several 
shells that caused heavy loss. We ju-essed forward to a point 
part way up the hill to the front, when the order was given 
•'On the right, by file into line ! " This deployed us in line 
of battle to the left of the road we had been advancing on. 
The rise of ground was sufficient to protect us from the ene- 
my, while we were thus forming. Hancock rode his horse 
up and down the line between us and the foe. 

While we stood here, one of the ghastly sights of war was 
almost under my feet. A soldier lay nearly where I ought 
to have stood. A shell had gone through his body, and in 
its passage had set fire to his clothing, and there his corpse 
lay slowly cooking. There was no time to do anything. 

At least one line of battle had preceded us, and, I sup- 



80 

pose, had been used up. Now the order came for us to ad- 
vance, which we did, probably in brigade line of battle. I 
cannot say how many regiments there were in it. I know we 
advanced till within musket range of the rebel rilie pits, w^hen 
we were halted and ordered to lie down. We did not fire, 
but the enemy did from their pits and they picked off some 
of our men. After a short time we were ordered to stand up. 
I then noticed that sergeant Israel O. Foote of my company 
was lying on the ground wounded, and evidently in pain. 
Our column was right faced and put in motion. We ad- 
vanced parallel to the rebel line, and under their fire. We 
so'on came to the road. Here there Avas a house or two, and 
the building, or buildings, had some soldiers in it, or them. 
We ci'ossed the road — the Sixty-first under Miles did — and 
brought up in a yard or garden patch that had a high tight 
board fence on two sides of it. Here we were directed to lie 
down. The fence hid the enemy from our sight, but the dis- 
tance to their nearest line of rifle pits was short. Occasional 
projectiles from cannon and muskets came our vvay, so that 
most of us were willing to hug the ground. 

George Joyce of Co. C was with the regiment, just returned 
from hospital partially recovered from a wound received at 
Malvern Hill. Joyce was a unique character, small of stat- 
ure, illiteiate, an adroit forager, and, if you didn't know him, 
vou might take him for a mere braggadocio. But such was 
not the case. He was destitute of fear, or, if he ever exper- 
ienced the sensation, he overcame it. At Glendale the Colo- 
nel ordered the line forward, A soldier said " We will fol- 
low the colors." Joyce was a private, and how he happened 
to have them I do not know, but he did, and he marched for- 
ward, brought the staff down with a bang and said, " There's 
your colors, come up to them !" The, line moved up, and 
Barlow made him orderly sergeant of ([ think) Co, F then 
and there. Joyce w^as back with a stiff arm, so that he could 
not can-y a gun, but while most of us were hugging the 
ground, he stood up and worked his jaw. H* said, ^ Lie low 
boys. "I'll let you know if anything happens." And so he 
was on the watch. Presently a solid shot came his way. It 
passed so near his foot, that, while it made no visible abra- 



81 

sioii, his foot began to swell so that he had to cut his boot off, 
and he had to hobble back. 

It was said at the time that Col. Miles, satisfied that the 
only thing to do to amount to anj'^thing, was to make a rush 
and take this first picket line, had sent back his conclusion, 
and requested permission to charge the line with his regi- 
ment. About this time an accommodating rebel bullet cut 
his throat, letting out a liberal quantity of fresh bright blood. 
This so put him Jiors de combat that he had to leave the field, 
somewhat to the longevity account of the Sixty-firsters there 
present. So we continued in this lowly attitude tUl after 
Hooker's men made another vain assaidt over the ground Ave 
had occupied. Then, toward sundown, we were withdrawn, 
and marched back into the city, and took up our quarters 
for the night in the same grist mill we occupied the night 
before. 

So far as we could see. nothing was done the next day, 
Sunday. But little, if any, fighting was had on Monday. 
After dark Monday evening our regiment, under command, 
I think of Capt. Kettle, was marched back as far to the front 
as we had occupied Saturday, but to the right. Here we 
were placed in rifle pits that would hold half a dozen each. 
There was a space of eight or ten feet between each pit. Here 
we were very close to the enemy — we could hear their move- 
ments, and they ours. I should think it was as late as 3 
o'clock a. m. of Tuesday when we were withdrawn, and si- 
lently made our way to the city, and through it, and to the 
pontoon bridge we crossed the Friday before. We were 
nearly the last to cross. Shortly afterward the bridge was 
taken up, and the Rappahannock again flowed between the 
hostile camps. 

In this battle the only original members of Co. C present 
with the company were Seigt. I. O. Foote, killed ; Geo. Ja- 
cobs and myself. Isaac Plumb had been commissioned and 
transferred to another company and Whitney was with the 
pioneers. 

We marched directly to our old camp. We found things 
as we left them, and we proceeded, as far as we could with 
what was on hand, to restore the camp to the condition it was 



83 

in before we broke it on tlie 12th. Many of tlie men bad dis- 
posed of shelter tents and blankets dining the worthless 
movement, so that some of the huts had no covering. The 
next day Gen. Sumner rode up to our camp and had some 
talk with the men. He asked why some of the huts were not 
covered with canvass. We said, " We dumped them when 
Ave w^ent into the fight." He replied, " You should have 
stuck to your tents and blankets ! " This was the last time 
I saw the old man. ,He left the army in Januar}-, 1803, and 
died in bed about three months later at his home in Syra^ 
cuse, N. Y. He was a great Corps Commander. 

Burnside's next fiasco was called his " stuck in the mud " 
campaign. In this case he was to cross the river to the right 
about where Hooker did four months later. In this move- 
ment the centre and left broke camp while Sumner's Grand 
Division remained to take care of the enemj^'s right at Fred- 
ericksburg. A terrible storm ended the movement almost 
before it was begun, and we remained comfortable in camp. 

Shortly after this Burnside resigned, and Gen. Joseph 
Hooker was ai:>pointed Commander of the Army of the Poto- 
mac." Hooker had been named " Fighting Joe Hooker." As 
a rule I think, the men were pleased with the change- 

On the 13th of February, 1863, the 61st and the 64th broke 
camp and moved a few miles to the left, and went into the 
camj) lately occupied bj^ the 27th 'New Jersey, a regiment of 
Burnside's old corps, wdiich went with him when he left the 
Army of the Potomac. The Grand Division formation was 
abandoned when Hooker took command, and the former corps 
organization re-adopted. Our new camp w^as delightfully 
situated. It fronted about twenty rods back from the edge 
of the high bluff, which was, perhaps, eighty rods back from 
the edge of the river. We were below, but in plain view of 
Fredericksburg. The New Jerseyites had made for them- 
selves better quarters than I had ever occupied, and we " en- 
tered into their labors." I never enjoyed soldiering more 
than during the weeks we were in this place. Much of the 
time the weather was good, and we drilled, did picket duty, 
and got in readiness fov the next grapple. 

On the 2 1st of February I received notice that I had been 



83 

commissioned Second Lieutenant of Co. C. It was at the 
timr, iH>xt to nothing in the tield. It did not have over two 
privates in the ranks, witli a sergeant, a drummer and a pion- 
eer. In i)lace of creating new regiments, when the last call 
ivas filled, the men should have been sent to the old r(^i>i- 
ments in the field. 

On the inth of March I was officer of the day foi- our camp, 
and, of course, was np and about at all hours of that day and 
the next night. During the forepart of this service nothing 
occurred to make it in any way notable, so far as I ^vas con- 
cerned, but about 3 o'clock in the moining of the next day, 
I heard, a considerable distance to the right, a yelling and 
cheering, and a general " whoopering up " that I couldn't 
account for.' Ihurried to Col. Miles's tent and reported. He 
directed me to send out a couple of men to find out. In due 
time they came back and reported that the Irish Brigade 
were celebrating '' St. Patrick's Day in the Morning." The 
boys with the green fiag had a great day of it, in which sev- 
eral barrels of commissary were made dry. 

On the 14th of April I w^rote home that, probably, the 
Army would move in a few days. Eight days rations were 
distributed to the men — five were to be stored in the knap- 
sacks and three in the haversacks. Extra baggage was 
packed and f-ent to the rear. 

On this day Lieut. Plumb started for home on a ten days 
leave of absence. He returned and was in his place before 
the movement came. It was over a year since I had seen 
home and I h:id an application in for a like leave, but the 
situation prevented its issue until after the next great defeat. 
'I'he 29tli of April we broke camp and were ready to join our 
brigade at a moment's notice. We did not start till early the 
next day. During these hours I had a bilious attack, and 
was sick enough to die, but the tents were all down, and 
tuere was no chance to baby me. I groaned and grunted till 
about the time the regiment started, and then 1 had to move 
or be left behind. I well remember how 1 staggered in my 
attempt to march, but I kept at it, and before night was 
pretty well. I had a number of such experiences, so that, I 
conclude, if the screws weie more frequently put to people in 
civil life, there would be many cases of like cures. 



84 

We advanced but a few miles and camped. The next day 
we spent some time in making corduroy road, and advanced 
but a few miles. April 30tli we advanced to the vicinity of 
the river ( Rappahannock ) and stacked arms in a piece of 
woods. If I remember correctly it was here and then that 
our corps badges were issued. Ours was the trefoil, and our 
division's red. The colors for all corps were : first division, 
red ; second division, white ; third division, blue. Couch 
was in command of the second Corps. Hancock was still our 
division general, and Caldwell our brigade general. In this 
place I saw Hancock and Caldwell ride by. Hancock was 
mad about something, and he was shaking his fist under Cald- 
well's nose, and God-daming him at the top of his capacity. 
Hancock was a brave and capable general, but he was demon- 
stratively passionate, and vilely abusive with his tongue. 
Junius Gaskell of my Company was for months his private 
orderly, and he saw the polish and the rough of him. Gas- 
kell has told me that he would get mad at his own brother, 
who was assistant adjutant general of the division, and blas- 
pheme at him and call him the conventional name a man 
uses, when he wants to say a mean thing of the other fellow 
based on the alleged status of his mother. 

Towards sundown we were put in motion, making our way 
to the river's edge, and crossed it on a well-laid pontoon. We 
ate our supper on the other side of the river, and then ad- 
vanced a few miles into the country, and halted for the night 
along side an open piece of woods, not far from the Chancel- 
lorsville house. We went into this piece of woods to spread 
our blankets to bivouac for the night. Our cavalry had been 
on this ground before, and they had responded affirmatively 
to the calls of nature, so that we soon discovered we were 
ti'eading on mounds not as large, but as soft, as the one into 
which Peter Stuyvesant fell, according to the narrative of 
Irving, I remember, after spreading my own blanket, that 
my hand dropped down outside of it, and went slap into one 
of those mounds. I further remember that I was not the only 
Sixty-firster that imprecated in strong Saxon. But there we 
were, and there we lay till sunrise. We learned that the day 
before a lively skirmish had been fought here, in which one 
of our Colonels was killed. 



85 

Friday, Muy Itt, about 11 a. ni., the artillery became en- 
gaged. Before long the Sixty-first N. Y., and the Hundred 
and Forly-ciiilit Pennsylvania were ordered foi-ward, and we 
went to the front and right of what I snppose became our 
line. We worked our way through a piece of scrub pine that 
was almost impervious, having passed this obstruction, we 
were in oix'U ground, and we advanced, I think, in skirmish 
line formation. It was not long before we met Mr. Johnny 
Reb.. and in ,-uch force that we fell backata lively pace, and 
worked oiii- way through the scrub I have spoken of. We 
emerged into a large open field where there were'a good many 
troops, l^y this time the shells of the enemy were making it 
interesting for ns. Hancock was present, and rushed matters 
in his en«'iu<'ti<' way to get hismen deplo3^e(l where he wanted 
them. Ill due time we were placed in the woods not far from 
the clearing. We had not more than got into position when 
these woods were shelled. We were ordered to lie down, and 
the order was well observed. It seemed to me that I was 
never un(hT su<'h a raking fire, the noise was fearful, and the 
amputated tree limbs came down on ns like snow flakes in a 
Winter's s([iial]. So far as I know, no one Avas seriously 
hurt in this terrifying bombardment. After it ceased we 
moved to another position in the woods, stacked arms, and 
there spent tlie night, or till towards morning of the Second, 
(Saturday, t 

Before it was fairly light, we were put in motion and a 
good deal of time was spent to satisfactorily locate us. As I 
understand it, we were placed in sight of, and to the left of 
the Chan<'ellorsville House. We at once stacked arms. A 
line for rifle ])its was run out, and one set of men began to 
.intrench, wjiile another set, with axes, were in fiont slashing 
down the timber — falling it to the front, and tangling it, so 
that it was impossible lo rapidly work through it. Befoi'e 
night we had seemingly an impregnable line. It could not 
have been carried by infantry from the front. Artillery might 
have batteied down our defences, or infantry might have 
turned it. but we hoped that the Confederate's would see fit 
to attack our line with infantry from the front. Gen. How- 
ard, with the Eleventh Corps, was on the right of our line. 



80 

He had been duly notified during the day that there was a 
movement of Rebel troops towai'ds his end of the line. No 
doubt he was a brave man and believed he could rejiel any at- 
tack that might be made on him, but where the great issues 
of a battle are at stake, a commander has no business to take 
needless chances, and, when he can, he should put his men 
under cover as effectually as may be, so that he can accom- 
plish his purpose with as little loss of limb and life as possi- 
ble. If, as soon as the Eleventh Corps was located they had 
gone to work cutting the timber to the front and intrenching, 
as Hancock's men did, Jackson would have met a bloody re- 
pulse, and Chancellorsville would have been our victory. 
Instead of that, his guns were stacked, his men were loung- 
ing about, and absolutely without protection. (Doubleday's 
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, page 26 and following.) 
Jackson struck him with a column of 26,000 men about 6 p. 
m., and stampeded his force as if they had been ewe lambs. 
After reading many different accounts of this battle, I am 
fully persuaded that Howard inexcusably, if not criminally, 
blundered on this occasion. In regular course of time the 
" stampedees," if I may use the word, came across the coun- 
try and struck our line. They were entireh^ in favor of con- 
tinuing on, but we protested against it, and told them they 
would run right into the rebel lines. Some Avere still bound 
to go, Avhen the argument of the bayonet converted them to 
our idea, and they camped down in our rear. Sunday, the 
3d, found us in the same place, standing guns in hand be- 
hind our breastworks. The fighting to our right was heavy 
and continuous. About 11 a. m. it was evident the Rebels 
had forced our position. We saw our men streaming back^ 
in a brief time the enemy had posted artillery that raked our 
line. It was no longer tenable, and we were ordered to fall 
back on the double quick. As we did so, we were under 
heavy artillery fire. We passed near the Chancellor House, 
which was at the time, I believe, on fire. We halted about 
one-fourth of a mile to the rear, and there formed line of bat- 
tle in the edge of the woods. While we were waiting, a num- 
ber of high class women were located close to us. I was told 
at the time they were the occupants of the Chancellor House, 
then burning to the ground. I rem?mber writing home and 



8r 

telling my people that these women were interesting to look 
at, and that their features expressed fear and hate. In a lit- 
tle lime they were marched off, and the ^ixty-lirst with a 
part, if not all of the brigade, were advanced, I should think, 
«t right angles with the position held by us for two days. 
We soon entered a piece of woods and advanced in line of 
battl<^ through it. As we came near to the clearing beyond, 
we saw the rifle ]}its of the enemy, and we met at our part of 
the line quite a brisk fire, but on the right it was exceedingly 
severe. One company of the 148th Pa. lost more than half 
its men. Then our line fell back to the place from which we 
had advanced, and we at once began another set of entrench- 
ments. In a few hours time we had again defences ihat we 
would have been delighted to' see assaulted by our friends, 
the enemy. 

In order to keep us from going to seed the Rebels would 
occasionally send over a shell, or solid shot, and they had 
the true range very well. I ren)ember while such a piactice 
was under way, and we were on our bellies back from the 
breastworks some three rods, so that we might not be hurt by 
the top log if it should be hit by a ball or shell, a large solid 
shot came hurtling over, just al)ove the top of our works, and 
plunged into the ground close to the feet of a sandy-haired 
irishman by the name of Plarity. I think 1 was looking that 
way at the moment. Flarity felt the sweep of the wiud as 
the shot went over him ; he raised up sufficiently to see where 
it had gone into the ground, and said, '' Whist, ye divil ! was 
yee's int'uided for me? " Those who saw the effect of the shot 
and heard Flarity had a loud smile. 

We were not attacked on Monday, though during the day 
Lieut-Col. Broady called the officers around him and informed 
them in his Swedish brogue, that it was anticipated that tiie 
^neniy would charge oui- position, which we were to hold as 
long as there was a man left of us, and that if we should give 
way and fall back we would be fired into by our men, who 
held a second and third line. This was delightful informa- 
tion, and nuide us feel very jolly— ''over the left? " but I am 
satisfied there was not a man in the crowd that would have 
.gone back if the chance had been offered. The attack did 



88 

not come, and during the night we began the back ward march 
again, which had come to be almost a mattci- of course. 
Hooker had twice as many men as Lee, and the movement 
seemed to open encouragingly. While Doubleda y and Walk- 
er and Alden do not in so many words say that Hooker was 
drunk, I think that is the clear inference. If he was, shoot- 
ing would be too good for him, he ought to have ))een burned 
at the stake. 

Saturday morning, the second day of May, Col, Miles was 
put in command of the picket line to our front. His own 
regiment was not in this advance line, but was in the first 
main line behind the works that 1 have mentioned. Our Col- 
onel here made a great reputation for himself. I (piote from 
Swintoa, " Andd much that is" dastardly at Chaiicellorsville, 
the conduct of this young, but gallant and .skillful officer, 
shines forth with a brilliant lustre." Walker says of him^ 
"So delighted was Hancock at the splendid behavior of his 
skirmish line that, after one repulse of the enemy, he ex- 
claimed, ' Capt. Parker, ride down and tell Col. Miles he's 
worth his weight in gold j " While Couch, turning to the 
Major-Generals Avho commanded his two divisions, said, in 
his quiet but emphatic way, " I tell you what it is, gentlemen, 
I shall not be surprised to find myself, some day scM-ving under 
that young man." Shortly after he was dangerously wounded 
through the body. Walker says (page 240) " Hancock strength- 
ens the skirmish line held by Miles, and instructs that officer not 
to yield one foot, except on actual necessity; and well is that 
trust discharged. The troops under Miles's' command consist of 
the 61st, 64th and 66th New York, with detachments from the 
53d Pa, 2d Delaware, and 14Gth, 145th and 148th Pa. and 27tli 
Conn." The historian of the Second Corps is in error when he^ 
writes that the 61st was placed on the skirmish line. As I have 
before stated, it remained behind the works it built, until the po- 
sition wus enfladed by the enemy's artillery, and then it, with the 
rest of that line, fell back. 

He is again in error when he says, (page 244) s]>eaking of the 
disaster of the ;>d, " Hancock's division Avas no longer intact. 
Caldwell, with the 61st, 52d and 57th N. Y., and four companies- 
of the 14Sth Pa., had, at a sudden call, marched to the United 



89 

1 



States Ford road, with a view to the anticipated breaking througl 
of the enemy from the right and rear." Unless the movement 
above described is the one made through the wood, in which the 
148th Pa. suflfered so severely. 

During Monday night and Tuesday morning we started back, 
and after daylight Tuesday, the 5th of May, we 'Ujot hack on our 
side of the Rappahannock." Before night we were again on our 
campground of the December before. 

May 11th I received a fifteen days leave of absence, for which 
I had applied before the late movement. Those granted prior to 
the move had been but for ten days. Probably the extra five 
days was \n the nature of a premium for the delay caused by the 
campaign, and the service in it. I made the most of this time, 
and was so feasted at home that I started back several pounds 
heavier than when I left. I did not desire to be away long. At 
the end of the leave 1 was anxious to be again with the boys. At 
this time I was tenting with Nutting and Collins. Nutting came 
down with typhoid fever. He was sent to hospital, and returned 
in the Fall. 

While in this camp, June 1st, 1863, the First Brigade of the 
First Division, fell in and passed in. review by quite a body of of- 
ficers, including Hancock, Howard and Barlow. Gen. Howard 
made appropriate remarks to the remnants of the 5th N. H., 81st 
Pa., 64th and 61st N. Y., which he commanded in the battle of 
Fair Oaks that day, the year before. But a small fraction of the 
men he commanded that day at 7 a. m. were present to hear his 
words. He said we were in this great strife to win, and we would 
fight it to a finish, and we applauded his sentiments by lusty 
cheers. After this we returned to our quarters. Barlow appeared 
and gave us a chance to grasp his hand. I am sure this great 
soldier always had a special affection for the men of the 61st N. Y. 
He had their entire confidence. Unquestionably they obeyed 
his orders, first, perhaps, because they didn't dare do otherwise, 
and, second, because they trusted his judgment and ability to per- 
form what he set out to do. 

Now everything indicated a move at short notice. Sunday, the 
14th of Jutic, the Confederates shot off their big guns on the 
heights of Fredericksburg. I think our people crossed the river 
on a reconnaissance. At 8 p; ra. the Second Corps moved, marched 



90 

four miles and halted for the night. Monday, the 15th, we passed 
Stafford Court' House. Tuesday, the 16th, the march took us be- 
yond Dumfries' Court House. This day was excessively hot, and it 
wa« stated that quite a number of the Second Corps died of sun- 
stroke. Lieut. Elmore was striken down by it. He lay on the 
ground almost motionless — was quite out of his head and talked 
crazy. He was put into an ambulance, and sent to hospital. 

Wednesday, the 17th, at the close of the day, we halted at 
Pope's Run on the Orange &^Alexandria R. R. Thursday, the 
18th, no move was made, except to change camp. In the after- 
noon of Friday (the 19th) we moved and halted in the evening at 
Centreville, the place we had been in about nine months before. 
Saturday about noon we left Centreville for Thoroughfare Gap, 
We passed over the two Bull Run battlefields, which were fought 
about a year apart. On the field of 1861 the dead had been bur- 
ied with the least expenditure of labor. I should say the bodies 
had been laid close together, and a thin coat of earth thrown over 
them. As the bodies decayed, the crust fell in exposing in part 
the skeletons. Some of our men extracted teeth from the grin- 
ning skulls as they lay thus exposed to view. On the field of 
1862 from one mound a hand stuck out. The flesh instead of 
rotting off had dried down, and there it was like a piece of dirty 
marble. Such sights are not refreshing to men going forward in 
search of a new battlefield. Thoroughfare Gap was reached dur- 
ing the night. We remained in this place until noon of Thurs- 
day, the 25th, when we moved, the enemy following us up quite 
sharply with artillery. 

After dark we camped at Gum Spring. . It had rained all day. 
I was placed in charge of the picket line that night, and visited 
the posts wet to the skin. In the morning a young and innocent 
calf was sporting in the field we occupied. Some of our wickedest 
men ended the life of that calf skinned it, and gave me a chunk. 
I expected to have an unusually good meal out of it. No time 
was found to cook this meat until we halted at Edward's Ferry on 
the Potomac, where we expected to spend the niglit. Collins and 
I proposed to have a great meal out of our piece of veal. Our 
man " Robert " fried it in the stew pan, which was the half of a 
canteen, and brought it on smoking hot. The experiment of try- 
ing to eat it- disclosed the fact that it was " deeken veal " and very 



91 

" stringy, '' I think the Spanish war soldiers would have called it. 
We discarded it and went back to " salt hoss." 

That night we crossed the Potomac on a pontoon, and were 
again in " My Maryland." The performances this night were 
such as to justify vocal darning on the part of a very good Christ- 
ian. The men were tired, but they were march«d and counter- 
marched, and halted and started, and placed and unplaced, until 
it was fair to conclude that someone was drunk. At last the per- 
son directing the column got hjs bearings and we proceeded. We 
were plodding along a road in which there was on the right hand 
side a ditch about two feet deep. Having been up and awake all 
of the night before, I was fearfully sleepy and hardly able to drag 
myself along. All at once I went into this ditch, and struck full 
length. In its bottom there w'as about two inches of mud, thick 
enough to encase me. By the time I had pawed out, 1 could not, 
if laid out, have been distinguished from a mud sill ; but I was 
too. near gone to speak bad words, and so went on in silence, 
weighing five pounds more than before my descent. Before long 
we halted and bivouaced for the night. The next morning, the 
27th, our regiment started about 10 o'clock, and was thrown out 
as an advance guard to our baggage train. Along the line of this 
march there were numerous wild blade cherry trees. They were 
loaded with ripe fruit, and we ate our fill. I think we covered 
25 miles this da}', and went into camp near Frederick City. We 
were over this same ground less than a year before, and every- 
thing looked as it then did. 

Sunday, the 25th, we moved up, and camped just before cross- 
ing the Monocacy. We spent the day very comfortably, and 
went to bed by rolUng up in our blankets, when an order came to 
" fall in." This we did of course, but wished it had been other- 
wise. We marched about two miles, and were posted to guard a 
ford of the Monocacy. We had with us a section of artillery. 

Monday, the 29th, we made a march of over thirty-two 
miles. We halted for the night some miles beyond Union- 
town, at about 10 p. m. I know I was so completely tired 
out, that, as soon as arms were stacked, I stretched out with- 
out unrolling my blankets, and I knew nothing till the next 
.morning, wlien I was awakened by the sun shining into my 



92 

eyes. I was so stiff that it took some time to get on to my 
legs, but, after moving about for a while, I was all right. 

Tuesday, the 30th, we remained in camp, many straggled 
in the march of the day before, and during this day most of 
them came up. Wednesday, July 1st, we started out, none 
of us knowing for where. We heard no sound of battle that 
day. No doubt the lay of the land shut off the thunder of 
the guns. A rumor soon became current that a fight Avas in 
progress, and that Gen. Reynolds had been killed. We 
marched through a little village, perhaps it \vas Taneytown. 
Our signalers were up in the steeple of a church on the street 
we were passing through, and' their flags were we-wawing at 
a great rate. Before long the ambulance containing the 
corpse of Reynolds passed us. We halted for the night. 
After sundown our biigade, and probably the division, were 
in line of battle. As soon as arms were stacked, we went to 
a rail fence, took down the rails, brought them to our line, 
and, before going to bed— i. e. , spreading our blankets on the 
ground— we had staked up those rails and banked earth 
against them so that they would have served quite a purpose 
as breastworks. By this time lines of camp fires were burn- 
ing as far as we could see, indicating that the army was 
massed here, or the ruse was worked to make the enemy 
think so. 

Thursday, the 2d, we were quietly ordered to turn out. 
Breakfast was eaten, the guns and ammunition were inspect- 
ed, and by six or seven o'clock we were in motion. On the 
march I remember we went through a small piece of open 
timber, where our doctors were posted, and as we went by 
we shook hands with them, and exchanged little pleasantries. 
I remember saying to them, " We'll see you again later." I 
tried to say this with a jaunty air, but down in my shoes I 
did not feel a bit jaunty. I think we all felt that this should 
be a death grapple, and, if Lee went further north, it ought 
to be over the played out ranks of this army. We continued 
our march and halted in a large open field to the left of the 
village of Gettysburg. Our briaade was massed, and com- 
manded by Col. Edward E. Cross of the 5th N. H. 

We remained in this place during the long hours of the 



'93 

day. There was no noise, save occasional!}' slight picket fir- 
ino-, but it was not the silence of assured quiet. It was the 
painful waiting before the descent of the certain cyclone. 

Our regiments were so small that, except in the case of the 
148th Pennsylvania, each regiment made a single line. I 
think the 148th was divided into two battalions. The Gist 
had about 90 muskets. While waiting for something to 
"turnup" Col. Cross came up, and after a little said, "Boys, 
you know what's before you. Give 'em hell!" and some of 
lis said " We will. Colonel!" After a time "the ball open- 
ed" on our left. A determined attack was made on Sickel's 
position. He could not hold it, and re-enforcements were 
sent to him. I do not remember seeing the oth N. H. move 
away but Col. Broady saj-s it was detached before the bri- 
gade started. I think it was between 5 and G o'clock when 
our orders came, and we were ready. It was preferable to ad- 
vance into action, rather than to wait in expectaticm of the 
order to move. The direction we were to take was to the 
front and left. There was no time to countermarch so as to 
bring the men right in front, so we simply left faced and 
started. The Gist, since the -withdrawal of the 5tli N. H. was 
the right regiment. We advanced in this manner, the 
brigade in a cliunck, until we struck a cross road. In this 
road we deployed by filing right and advancing until the 
regiments were deployed, then we left faced. This undoubled 
us, and we stood in line of battle, officers and sergeants in 
front of the rear rank in front. In front of us across the 
road was a wheatfield, which was bounded by a fence. We 
were ordered forward ; we scaled the fence and advanced 
into this wheatfield in line of battle, as I have stated. 
Finally we were halted, markers were thrown out, and we 
lined up. The 61st N. Y. was the right of our brigade 
line. I am not sure what regiment was to our right. It is 
my recollection that no regiment was in close contact with 
us. As soon as the alignment was perfected, the officers and 
file closers passed through the ranks and got in rear of the 
men. Up to this time not a confederate had been seen in 
our front. 

At the further edge of this wheatfield there were the rem- 



94 

nants'of a stone wall and scattering trees and brush, which 
made a natural line for the opposing force to form behind. 
As soon as I got into my place 1 kept my eyes to the front, 
and in a few seconds I saw first one or two men come toward 
us on a run, and throw themselves down behind this jKirtial 
stone wall. But a brief time passed when a solid line of 
men in gray appeared and placed themselves as had the first 
comers. At once, and without any ordering, the firing 
opened by both sides. It was slightly descending from where 
we stood to the position of the enem3^ I think their loca- 
tion was the best, independent of the protection afforded by 
the old wall. It was a case of give and take. As a rale our 
men behaved splendidly ; with a single exception I saw no 
flinching or dodging. I saw a certain second lieutenant 
doubling himself together so as to bring his head below the 
line of the heads of the men in front of him. Capt. Keech 
saw his posture and came up to him and said, "Stand up !" 
What are you crouching for <" The fellow replied, " Tm not 
crouching. ' ' Keech replied, ' ' Yes, you are !' ' and he hit him 
across his humped-up back a sharp rap that made him grunt, 
and said, "Stand up like a man !" In battle the tendency if? 
almost universal for the men to work out of a good line into 
clumps. The men of natural daring will rather crowd to the 
front, and those cast in more timid or retiring molds will 
almost automatically edge back and slip in behind. Hence 
the necessity of not alone commissioned officers in the rear ta 
keep the men out in two ranks, but sergeants as well. I 
think I have stated that there were less than one hundred 
men present with the regiment. For the less than ninety 
muskets in the ranks we had a number of commissioned offi- 
cers. More than was needed. We had oflScers enough in 
our regiment in this great battle to have commanded threef 
hundred men, and it is a standing' proof of the gross ignor- 
ance, or the villainy of the New York gpvernment that such 
was the case. In the early jTart of the day I remarked to a 
number of the men near by that when some one of them was- 
knocked out I Avas going to take his musket and get into ther 
firing line. We were in this wheatfield and the grain stood 
almost breast high. The Rebs had their slight protection,. 



J>5 

but we were in the open, without a thing better than a wheat 
straw to catch a Minnie bullet that weighed an ounce. Of 
course, our men began to tumble. They lay where they fell, 
or; if able, started for the rear. Near to me I saw a man 
named Daily go down, shot through the neck. I made a 
movement to get his gun, but at that moment I was struck 
in the shoulder. It did not hurt and the blow simply caused 
me to step back. I found that I could not work my arm, but 
supposed that hurt was a tiesh wound that had temporarily 
paralyzed it, and that it was not serious enough to justify my 
leaving the fighting line. So, I remained and did what I 
could in directing the firing. Sometime after this, I felt a 
blow on the left leg, and it gave way, so that I knew the bone 
was broken. This stroke did not hurt, and I did not fall, but 
turned around and made a number of hops to the rear, when 
my foot caught in the tangled grain and I went down full 
length. While lying here entirely helpless, and hearing 
those vicious bullets singing over my head, I sufl'ered from 
fear. I had, as most men do, got over the dread of battle af- 
ter I was once fairly in it, and was enjoying the excitement, 
but when I was " done for" as a fighter, and could only lie 
in that zone of danger, waiting for other bullets to plow into 
my body, I confess it was with the greatest dread. While so 
lying and dreading, in some way, I knew that two men were 
going to the rear. I yelled out to them, " Drag me back." 
They heeded the order, or entreaty, and one man grabbed 
one arm, and the other man the other arm, and they started 
back with me between them, not on any funeral gait, but al- 
most on a run. My right arm was sound, but the left one 
was broken at the shoulder joint, and on that side it was pull- 
ing on the cords and meat. I wobbled much as a cut of wood 
drawn by two cords would have. These men imlled me back 
in this fashion for a number of rods, and until I thought they 
had pulled me over a rise of ground like a cradle knoll, when 
I shouted, "Drop me" and they dropped, and went on with- 
out note or comment. I had a tourniquet in my haversack, 
and with my one servicable arm, I worked away till I got it 
out, and did the best I could to get it around my leg, for 
anything I knew I was bleeding to death, and, if possible, I 



96 

wanted to check the flow of blood. I think my effort did not 
amount to much. After a time the firing tapered down to 
occasional shots. Of course, I did not know who was on top. 
Certainly no body of our men had fallen back near my 
bivouac. In a short time I heard a line of battle advancing 
from the rear. As the men came in sight I sang out, " Don't 
step on me, boys ! " Those in range of me stepped over and 
on they went, to take their medicine. I understand they 
rushed forward and fought the enemy in advance of the line 
we occupied. It was not many minutes after these troops 
passed me that the rattle of musketry was again heard from 
that wheat field. It was kept up for a good while, and then 
it died down. No body of our men went back past me. 

After a while I was aware that a skirmish line was coming 
from the front, and soon discovered that the skirmishers were 
not clothed in blue. The officer in command was mounted 
and rode by within a few feet of me. I should judge that 
this line went as far as the road I have spoken of. Shots 
were exchanged at about that distance to the rear of me. 
This fighting was not severe and a short time after these gen- 
tlemen in gray moved back in the same manner they had ad- 
vanced, greatly to my relief. Idid not fancy remaining their 
guest for anj^ length of time. 

As the Rebs went back, a nice looking young fellow, small 
of stature, with bright black eyes, whose face was smutted, 
lip with powder and smoke, came along where I lay. My 
sword was on the ground beside me. He picked it up, and 
said, "Give me that scabbard!" I said "Johnny, you will 
have to excuse me, as my arm is broken and I can't unbuckle 
my belt." He made no comment, but went off with my 
sword. Then matters quieted down, and there was no sound 
to be heard in that vicinity, except the groanings of the 
wounded. As long as 1 lay perfectly quiet, I was not in 
much pain, but if I attempted to stir the pain was severe. I 
had heard that wounded men always suffered from thirst, but 
Iw^as not specially thirsty, and I wondered at it. I did not 
have any desire to groan, and take on, as many about me 
were doing. So I wondered if I were really badly hurt, and 
if I could groan, if I wanted to. I determined to try it, and 



97 

drew in a good breath, and let out a full grown-man groan. 
I was satisfied with the result and then kept quiet. This ac- 
tion on my part will read like the performance of a simple- 
ton, and I would not record it, but for the fact that it was 
the freak and experience of one man, helpless on the battle- 
field. These personal experiences are, of course, less often 
written about than are the general movements of troops in 
battle accounts. 

After a time I was satisfied our people were establishing a 
picket line some ways to my rear. I succeeded in securing 
the attention of a sergeant. He told me the number of his 
regiment, which was a new Pennsylvania regiment. I told 
him I wanted to g-et back out of this debatable belt of land 
between the skirmish lines. He said he would go and see his 
officer. In a little while he came back with a Lieutenant, 
He was a good hearted man, and commiserated my condition, 
and inquired what h« could do for me. 1 told him my pres- 
ent anxiety was to get to the rear of our skirmish line — that 
where I then lay was likely to be fought over again, and any 
little thing would, at least, set the pickets firing at one anoth- 
er. I told him I thought if he and the sergeant would make 
a chair of their hands, as children often do, they could carry 
me between them. With difficulty they got me up, and their 
hands under me, and started, but the broken leg hung down, 
and caught in the trampled wheat, and I told them I couldn't 
go it. Then the Lieutenant said he could carry me on his 
back. I noticed that he had braced up with commissary, 
and his legs were not wholly reliable, but I thought he could 
manage me as a pack. So he squatted, and the sergeant 
helped get me on his back with my arm around his neck. 
Then he attempted to raise me up, but my weight and the 
tanglefoot were too much, and we all went down in a heap 
together, I under. As soon as I could express myself in 
words, I told the men, if they would straighten me out and 
cover me up with my blanket, I would excuse them with 
chanks for their kind intentions. This they did, and left me 
with no one in sight. It now grew dark rapidly and soon 
there was as little light as at any time that night. I was wide 
aWcike, and my thoughts went on excursions the wide world 
around. 



98 

I tliink it must have been about midnight — for hours I had 
heard no sound but the groanings of the men lying on the 
field about me. All at once 1 heard a voice. It came from 
the mouth of Phil Comfort, a private of Co. A. Phil had al- 
ways been one of the incorrigibles. He would get drunk, and 
brawl, and tight on the slightest provocation, but he also had 
the credit of doing much for the wounded of the regiment. 
I do not know what Phil's business was, out there between 
the picket lines at midnight of that day. I suspect he may 
have been there forthe jDurpose of accommodating any corpse 
that was desirous of being relieved of any valuables he was 
possessed of, fearing they might be buried in an unmarked 
grave with his dead body. I never asked Phil about the or- 
ders, or from whom they came, that sent him into hailing 
distance of my place of repose, but I made haste to call Phil 
up to me. He resj^onded to my call, and in a moment was 
staring down on me in the starlight. He said, "Why, Lieu- 
tenant that's you, aint it ! ^' I admitted the allegation, and 
paid I wanted to get out of here. He replied that he would 
go for a man and stretcher, and return as soon as possible, 
and off he went. Before long he was back with man and 
stretcher, and after much w^orking they got me loaded and 
started for a point at which the ambulances were assembling. 
I was set down in the dooryard of a house built of hewed 
logs, whitewashed. In 1866 I visited the battlefield and this 
house was standing. I think it has since been removed and 
a frame house put up on its site. 

After an hour's waiting, I was loaded into an ambulance- 
without taking me from my stretcher. This was fortunate 
for me, as I kept it until it was swaped for a new one two- 
weeks later. The stretcher kept me from the ground, and 
was an important factor in my recovery. A man was placed 
beside me shot through the body. He was in an agony of 
pain, and it was impossible for him to restrain his groans^ 
When the ambulance started, it wjnt anywhere but in a good 
road, and as it bumped over logs and boulders, my broken 
leg would thresh about like the mauler of a flail. I found it 
necessary to keep it in place by putting the other one over it. 
At last we stopped and were unloaded. It was still dark^ 



99 

but in due time light broke in the East, and a little later I 
could roll my head and take in some of the surroundings. 
Most of the wounded of the reiriment had been gathered at 
this place, and we made by far the largest part of it. Many 
of the men were so hurt that they could move about, and they 
all came and made me an early morning call. After a time 
two of our regimental doctors appeared. They cut open my 
trousers leg, found where the bullet went in, and, I think, 
put a strip of adhesive plaster over the wound, and they did 
the same with the shoulder. It was clear to my mind that 
the leg, at least, must come off. I expressed my opinion and 
said, I thought it would be better to do it at once, than to 
wait till inflammation set in. At my earnest request they 
promised me that they would see to it that I should be among 
the first operated on. 

While in this place my life long friend and companion, 
Lieut. Isaac Plumb, came to me. We had been side by side 
since the organization of the regiment, and, until now, neith- 
er of us had been badly hurt. He told me that he saw me as 
I went down, and sang out "Uncle Fuller, that's good for 
sixty days." He said I made up quite a face, as if it hurt. 
Shortly afterward he said he had a remarkable experience. 
He was struck and knocked down, and he supposed a bullet 
had gone through him, and he was done for. He said he 
clapped his hands over the place of the supposed wound and 
held on tight, with the thought that conscious existence 
might be a little prolonged. He expected to feel life ebbing, 
but he retained consciousness, and, after a while, lifted his 
hands, expecting to see an eruption of blood, but he did not. 
He began to move his body with no bad results, and, finally, 
got onto his feet, resumed his place and left the lield with his 
men. He did not discover what had happened till he pre- 
pared to bunk down for the night, when he unbuckled his 
sword belt he discovered a strange formation in his vest 
pocket. In it he had a bunch of small keys on a ring. A 
Minnie bullet had struck his belt plate scpiare and had 
glanced so as to go under the plate into his vest pocket, 
where it met the bunch of keys. There was enough foi^ce and 
resistence to bed th€ bullet into the ring and the key heads, 



100 

and there the keys stood out held in place by the embedded 
bullet. He was able to send this relic of that great battle 
home, and his mother has it now among her choicest me- 
mentos. 

After a time the division operating table was set up in the 
edge of a piece of timber not very far away. I was on the 
Avatch, expecting every minute to be taken out, but I waited 
and waited and no one came for me. I became quite impa- 
tient at this delay. I saw one after another brought on, car- 
ried up, and taken away, and I was not called for. This 
aroused my stock of impatience, of which, I naturally always 
had quiet enough. At last I asked my friend Porter E. 
AVhitney and another man to take me down to the table. I 
made up my mind, if the mountain did not go to Mahomet, 
Ih8 next best thing was for the prophet to go to the moun- 
tain. The men set me down as nearly under the noses of the 
doctors as could be, and, if something hadn't happened, I 
presume in a few minutes that heretofore good left leg would 
have made on3 of the fast growing pile ; but about that in- 
teresling moment for me, the enemy began to drop shells that 
exploded in and about the locality. It was not a fit place to 
pursue surgical operations. The doctors knew it, so they 
hastily gathered up their knives and saws, and moved to a 
place where those projectiles did not drop. The two friends- 
who had taken me there, picked up my stretcher and started 
for a like place. We had to move several times before the 
greatest artillery duel of the War began. When that opened 
we were out of range of it, but we could not hide from the 
tremble of the ground — the surface of the earth at that place 
shook and quivered from the terrible concussion of the artil- 
ler\\ The roar was enough to deafen one, and inspire the 
dread that no one would be left alive and unhurt. Generally 
however, the noise is a considerable part of such a bombard- 
ment. Probably comparatively slight damage was done by 
it, until our artillery opened on the advancing lines of Pick- 
ett's men. 

During the day friends occasionally poured water on my 
wounds, which, doubtless, kept the swelling down. 

Pickett wa« defeated. Grant, Sherman, Sheridan or Thorn- 



101 

as, if in command at the time, would have plunged the fresh 
Sixth Corps on to the rear of Lee's routed men, and eife^v 
tively crashed him. Meade was new to the place and pre- 
ferred a respectable certainty to possible disaster. Things 
quieted down, and that night, 

" Mr. Lee who had come to see 
What he could do about going through, 
The North, turned South." 
The boys who were toting me came to a stone house with a 
wide piazza clear around it. I was laid on the Hoor of it, 
which made a hard bed. I ached in every bone, but there 
was nothing to do but *' grin -and bear it." After a while 
Frank Garland of Co. G was brought and laid on the floor 
near me. He could raise upon his elbow, but his breathing 
was i^ainf ul to hear. A bullet had gone through his lungs 
and every time they tilled a portion of the air went through 
the wound with a ghastly sound. I said to him, "Are you 
badly wounded, Frank ? " He replied, " Oh, yes ! " 

I had eaten nothing since the morning of the day before, 
and was faint. Some of our drummer boys found a bin of 
ground oats, and they made a gruel that tasted good, and I 
made quite a meal of it. That evening about 10 o'clock, an 
ambulance came for me, and I was taken to the ground se- 
lected for the 2d Corps hospital. It was another rough ride 
across lots. Once there I was taken out of my stretcher, the 
one Phil Comfort took me ojff the field on, and taken at on^e 
to the operating table. A napkin was formed into a tunnel 
shape, a liberal supply of chloroform poured into it and the 
thing placed over my nose and mouth. I was told to take in 
long breaths. To me it seemed a long time before the effect 
came, probably it was a short time, but at last my head 
seemed to grow big and spin around. At this stage I remem- 
ber a doctor had his fingers in the wound in the shoulder and 
said to the others '' Here is a fine chance for a resection." I 
did not know what that meant, but learned afterwards. 
AVhen I came to myself, I looked down far enough to see a 
quantity of bandage wound about a stump of a leg eight 
inches long. My shoulder was bound up, but othei-wise not 
operated on. Failure to resect may have been due to the 



102 

great amount of work pressing upon the surgeons. They 
were worked as many hours continuously as they could stand, 
and still many a man had to be neglected. I was taken off 
the table and put back on my stretcher, which was set down 
in a wall tent, this tent was as full as it well could be of am- 
putated cases. For the most part the men bore their suffer- 
ing without a groan. Among the number was a young Con- 
federate officer, that had lost an arm. He probably felt that 
he was a good way from home, and he " took on," bemoan- 
ing his fate as a cripple and a sufferer. He wore out the pa- 
tience of every other man in the tent. At last I yelled out 
to him to shut up, or I would get up and kick him out doors. 
My bark was effective, we heard no more from him. All of 
us were amputates, or seriously wounded. During the night 
a doctor came, and gave every man a dose of morphine, which 
produced a happy state of mind and body. As I w^as taken 
from the table one of my doctors said, " Fuller, you may 
drink all of the whiskey you can get, and want." 

The day of the 4th we had a drenching rain. Some men 
out lying in low places and who could not move were, it wa8 
said, drowned. On the whole, I x^resume the rain was a ben- 
efit to the wounded. 

It took a number of days for the large hospital tents to be 
put up. All of the sound part of the army that could be 
spared followed up the enemy. Of course, it took a large 
number of soldiers detailed for the purpose, to partially care 
for the thousands of wounded from each army. The surgeons 
were continuously engaged upon new cases that had received 
no attention. Those of us that had been treated knew this, 
and we found no fault at what otherwise would have been 
terrible neglect. I think it was six days after my amputa- 
tion before a doctor could be found to look at my stump. The 
night before I had been made very nervous by crawley feel- 
ings on that side of me, just where I could not tell. It is, I 
think, the rule with amputations, that the patient cannot 
from the feeling put his hand on the iDlace of amputation. It 
takes a good while for the nerves to realize where "the end " 
is. They were made to carry the news to the brain from the 
extremities, and, until the new arrangement has become some- 



• 103 

what acqnainted with the change, these lines of commnnica- 
tion are doing duty for parts of the body not there. My bad 
feelings were not at the end of the stump, but down in the 
foot and ankle, where there were constant beats, and pulls 
and cramps. I think this is the foundation for the many 
fairy stories to the efiect that an amputated leg or arm buried 
gave the owner of it great pain, as if something pressed on it, 
or it was cramped in its box, and when it was opened up there 
was found a stone between the fingers, or the cover jammed 
upon the foot, and that when the cause of discomfort was re- 
moved then the stump of the arm or leg was easy. As in the 
various phases of faith cure, the imagination has a powerful 
efiect. So it has in these cases. It is never that there is a 
real feeling connected between the severed part and the bod j% 
but the belief in it creates a supposed reality. 

It was the good fortune of our tent that a civilian surgeon 
from Ohio visiting the field came along and offered his ser- 
vices to any of us that wanted him to do for us. I told him 
how I had felt through the night, and I would be glad to 
have him dress my stump. He took the bandages off and 
found that there were a large number of full grown maggots 
in the wound. This discovei-y for the moment was horrify- 
ing to me. I concluded if all the other things did not take 
me off the skippers would, but the good doctor assured me 
that the Avigglers didn't amount to much in that place, and 
he would soon fix them. He diluted some turpentine, took 
a quantitj- of it in his mouth and squirted it into the wound, 
and over the stump. It did the business for the intruders, 
and I had no more trouble of that sort. 

The morning of the 4th of July Capt. Keech came to me 
and said he was to have a short leave of absence on account 
of the wound he received in the neck, which came near effec- 
tually cutting it. He wanted to know what word he should 
convey to my people. I said tell them I am doing as well as 
one can under the circumstance. He replied, " Don't you 
want them to come down here?" I said, "No!" "They 
can do no good here, and will be in the way." When he got 
to New York he wired to Sherburne: " Garland mortally 
wounded. Fuller dangerously wounded. Plumb all right." 



104 

That night my father started for Unadilla Forks to see Dr. 
King, his brother-in-law. The doctor was one of the best sur- 
geons in Otsego Co. My father told him he wanted him to 
go to Gettysburg and look after me. They were in Utica the 
next morning ready for the first train East. From a news- 
boy they got a Herald, which gave a long list of New York 
casualties. Finally they struck '' Lieut. C. A. Fuller, Co. C. 
61st N. Y., leg and arm amputated.''^ The doctor said, " If that 
is true there is not much chance for Charley, but we will go 
on and bring him home alive or dead." And sothev wenton. 

All this is very tame and personal, and, in many ways, T know 
can be of but small interest. There is this to be said of it : It 
shows what was going on in thousands of families the land over 
— North and South — and it is the kind of matter that does not 
get into books on war subjects. The reality of war is largely ob- 
scured by descriptions that tell of movements and maneuvers of 
armies, of the attack and repulse, of the victory and defeat, and 
then pass on to new operations. All of this leaves out of sight 
the fellows stretched out with holes through them, or with legs 
and arms off. 

At Baltimore my father had to turn back on account of acute 
illness. From New York my father and Uncle were accompan- 
ied by my cousin Edward Snyder. He was a grand man. He 
had tried several times to enter the service, but was rejected. For 
years he had been in the employ of the American Express Co. 
and knew how to push his way through a crowd. The jam was 
so great to get to the battlefield, and the transportation so inade- 
quate, they might have been delayed several days, but for the 
steering qualifications of Snyder. He elbowed and managed in 
such a way that he and the doctor got onto an open flat bottomed 
car headed for Gettysburg the same day. On their arrival it wag 
no small job to find me, but a half day's search and inquiry 
brought them to ray tent, a large hospital tent holding some six- 
teen men, everyone of whom had, I believed, sustained an ampu- 
tation. They had found the Chaplain of the 64th New York, a 
thoroughly good man, quaHfied for the office, as many chaplains 
were not. This Chaplain had been of great service since the bat- 
tle ; his work in behalf of the men was tireless. Earlier in the 
day he had talked with me, trying to brace me up and make me 



105 - 

hopeful. I remember saying to him, "If I were where I 
could have the best of care, I might pull through, but that is, 
impossible." I knew that my chances were few and scant. 
About noon he came to me and said, " Fuller, can you stand 
some good news ?" I said, " Yes, if ever 1 could I can now." 
He said, " Some one has come to see you ? " I asked, " Is it 
Dr. King? " He said, " Yes." I looked to the other side of 
the tent, and there in the doorway stood my uncle, and just 
behind him Edward Snyder. The doctor was short and thick 
and Snyder was tall and thin, so I had a view of both of their 
faces at once. It Avas a sight so photographed in my memory 
that it is as fresh to-day as when it was taken. The doctor 
remained at the field hosj)ital for about ten days. During 
that time he took charge of about a dozen amputated cases, 
and while he was rather squatty for an Angel, the men re- 
garded him as one of mercy. By the end of ten days from 
his coming the doctor told me that I was making no progress 
and ought to be moved where I could get better air. He got 
permission for my removal into the village. Two men carried 
me on a stretcher. When the doctor left the boys he had 
been caring for, there were few dry eyes on their faces. I 
was taken to the house of Mr. Carson, cashier of one of the 
banks. On the approach of Lee's army, Mr. Carson had 
taken the cash and valuables to Philadelphia. At this time 
«very house in town was at the service of any wounded, or 
their friends. When I was deposited at his house, Mr. Car- 
son Avas iu Philadelphia to get and return the bank's prop- 
erty, but Mrs. Carson was there, and, if I had been a near rel- 
ative, she could not have done more to make my stay tolera- 
ble. As an instance of the romance in Avar the following oc- 
curred. Mrs. Carson's brother was an officer in a Maine bat- 
tery. He' Avas in the first day's engagement and was- quite 
badly Avounded. He managed to get to his sister's house, I 
believe he was not disturbed by the Rebels, and left for his 
home the day before I came. 

After a few days in the village, consent Avas obtained for 
me to start for home. We were on the Avay for about a Aveek, 
and everyAvhere on the route the greatest kindness was shoAvn 
save in one instance. That was at the Albany station, and 



106 

with the New York Central's employees. It was necessary to 
put my stretcher with me on it into the baggage car. I was 
set down by the side of the car, asking that it be done. By 
the treatment I got from the men in charge, one would take 
them to be a gang of copperheads. Seeing tJkat they were 
going to refuse me admission to the car, I began to call them 
off in no gentle manner. My billingsgate caused a crowd to 
gather. I informed the trainmen and the people assembled 
that if I could have a squad of my regiment there for a very 
few minutes, I would go in that car, or that train would be a 
wreck. I soon had the sympathy of the lookers on, and some 
of them suggested that I would go into that car, or it might 
not be necessary for me to have any of the Gist there to make 
things interesting. The disobliging servants of the road did 
not care to have more of a demonstration, and the door w^as 
shoved open, and, in no gracious manner, I was put on board, 
and started for Utica. I think those New York Central loaf- 
ers would have left me there to have tiy-blowed had they not 
feared the temper of the crowd. It was a painful surprise to 
me to meet such indifference, if not hostility, in Central New 
York, when I had just experienced such helpful kindness in 
Baltimore, Philadelphia, and even in New York, a place that 
usually cares for nothing and no one, except commercially. 
From Utica I was taken in an ambulance to Unadilla 
Forks, N. Y. . 

At the end of a w^eek my shoulder was operated on, and 
three inches of the humerus taken out from the shoulder 
joint down. The operation was performed by Dr. King, and 
was an excellent one. A week after that operation, an inci- 
sion was made inlo the stumj) and the bullet that broke the 
leg was taken out. That it was in the stump was, of course, 
a surprise, and when the surgeons of my regiment were in- 
formed what had been done, they claimed to be much sur- 
prised, and said that they traced out the bullet that they am- 
putated for, and that the bullet extracted by Dr. King must 
have been a second one. I have always had the ii:ftpression 
that I was hit in the leg lower down, and before the one came 
that broke the leg, but of that I am not certain. 

With two such w^ounds as I had, and one poisoned for sixi 



107 

weeks with a Minnie bullet, it was a slow process to recover, 
but I made steady progress with, of course, occasional pull 
backs. 

I think it was in September, 1863, and after I reached my 
home, that George Jacobs, a sergeant in my company of New 
Berlin, called on me. George was one of the best soldiers in 
the regiment. In a fight no one could be better. He was 
home on a ten days furlough. Of course, the best in the land 
was free to him, and he was feasted by parents and friends. 
As he was about ready to start back, he was taken violently 
sick with a stomach trouble and died in a few hours. 

In December, 1868, I was ordered to report at a hospital at 
Annapolis, Md. I started alone with one crutch, and my arm 
in a sling. At Albany I stopped over night with my cousin 
Stewart Campbell, and w^ell remember that evening reading 
in thti Atlantic Monthly that wonderful story, " A Man With- 
out a Country," by Edward Everett Hale. It made a deep 
impression on my mind and it confirmed the sentiment I had 
cherished that it was well worth hardship, wounds, loss of 
limbs, or life even, to have a hand in preserving in its integ- 
rity such a country as ours. I reached Anapolis all right. 
In about a week I was ordered to Washington, and mustered 
out. This ended my connection with one of the best regi- 
ments in the service in the War of the Rebellion. I do not 
say this, I think, unadvisedly, ncr from a mistaken sense of 
the quality of the rank and file of the regiment, but rather 
from the character of the commanding ofllcers of the regiment 
while under Barlow and Miles. Each of them officers whose 
equal it was hard to find. They were men of dauntless cour- 
age and rare military judgment, who Led their men into bat- 
tle, and under them if a soldier wanted to slink, as. a rule, he 
deemed it safer to face the enemy than to let either one of 
them suspect he w^as slinking. 

I have now told my story as a soldier, and the purpose of 
this pamphlet is ended. In conclusion I want to register my 
admiration for the war power of a country. It is a splendid 
employment to be in the Army, or Navy of one's country ! 
The office of the War Power is to maintain order and right 
at home, and defend the flag from foreign aggression. It is 



108 

not tlie first and main business of the soldier to kill anyone ; 
he is put in motion only after peacable means for righteous- 
ness have failed. Then he comes forward and says to the ob- 
structor and the enemy of right : "Desist, surrender, give 
way ! " and it is only after refusal and a show of hostile force 
that the soldier shoots his gun, and when he shoots he pre- 
fers to wound, disable and capture, rather than to kill. 

Of course, we all ought to encourage the avoidance of war, 
and the, promotion of peace, but the wise ruler, while so do- 
ing, will have an adequate army to make it certain that he 
cannot be overborne by evil-minded persons, and the enemies 
of his government. Maukind must be dealt with as it is, and 
not on a fanciful, theoretical basis. 

Really the Army is the strong arm of the executive part of 
the governmental machinery. The sheriff and constable may 
be resisted and fail ; the posse comitatus they call to their 
aid may prove inadequate, and then there is nothing to look 
to but the Army. 

If I had a son 18 years of age, I would not feel bad to see 
him enrolled for a three years enlistment in tlie United States 
Army, or Navy, I w^ould expect he would be discharged at 
the end of the term improved by the discipline. The wearer' 
of the uniform ought to be honored by the people and ac- 
corded as broad a place in society as if he w^ere a member of 
what is termed " one of the learned professions." The treat- 
ment accorded our soldiers and sailors by some rich, ill-bred 
snobs in this country is to their lasting disgrace, and it is to 
be hoped that such stupid idiots may live to see the day 
when they will bitterly repent their fool actions. 



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